Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Hansard source

Why is the member for Hume still in cabinet? The member for Hume's imbecilic attempt to embarrass the Lord Mayor of Sydney exploded in his face. If the member for Hume continues to refuse to provide a full account of what happened, the Prime Minister must direct him to. If the Prime Minister had any consistency, given that Senator McKenzie was forced to resign for failing to disclose a conflict of interest, the member for Hume should have been forced to resign long ago. But I won't hold my breath, because that would take leadership, and if the months since the last election have taught us anything it's that the current occupant of the Prime Minister's office is no leader.

Unlike the current Prime Minister, real leaders are not pathologically incapable of taking responsibility. Unlike the current Prime Minister, real leaders do not react to crises by asking, 'Who can I blame for this?' or by producing self-serving political ads. Unlike the current Prime Minister, real leaders do not deny the existence of dangers to the nation, hoping not to have to make hard decisions. Unlike the current Prime Minister, real leaders set high standards; they do not run away from them. Unlike the current Prime Minister, real leaders are outraged by a scandal in their government and take action against the perpetrators; this Prime Minister seeks to cover them up.

See this speech in context