Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

There are reports today that Tony Abbott, former Prime Minister, is now on the payroll of the British government, promoting British interests ahead of Australian farmers, producers and exporters. If this is true, then the Prime Minister must strip him of his prime ministerial pension. Tony Abbott's job is now to say, 'Buy British,' not 'Buy Australian,' and the Australian public shouldn't be giving him a six-figure prime ministerial pension while he does it. If Tony Abbott wants to switch teams and go and bat for someone else, that's a matter for him, but the Australian public should not be bankrolling it. Tony Abbott's job is now to advance the interests of another country's farmers, producers and exporters over Australia's, and he should not be on the Australian government payroll while it happens.

Our current Prime Minister says that he is very concerned about foreign interference in Australia. If he is so concerned about foreign interference, he should start by looking at the former Prime Minister, who is on the government's own payroll and who is now apparently working for a foreign power. The Prime Minister seems very prepared to muscle up to state premiers and tell them what to do, but he turns a blind eye to a former prime minister who, according to reports, is now taking money to promote another country's interests. If Tony Abbott wants to switch teams, the Australian public shouldn't be bankrolling him to do it.

See this speech in context