Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

I take that interjection. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to have an each-way bet on national security, he can, but this Prime Minister never will, and Australians know all about that!

Mr Speaker, I am happy to apologise to Mr Rudd. I wasn't aware of that on the occasion. I had been otherwise informed, and I happily correct the record. I very happily correct the record about Mr Rudd. I'm always happy to treat former prime ministers with the utmost respect, and they deserve that respect. I was making no reflection on Mr Rudd yesterday at all; I was making a reflection on the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, who sought to come into this place and attack another former Prime Minister, Mr Abbott, who, it turns out, was one of more than 95,000 people who received independent exemptions to leave the country. Indeed, if Mr Rudd wished to leave the country and he sought to make such an application for an exemption, I have no doubt he would be treated with the same independence that former Prime Minister Abbott was treated with by the Border Force commissioner—indeed, as was the former, and longest-serving, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Downer.

I'm happy to apologise to Mr Rudd. But, I tell you what, when it comes to the great things said in the offence of Mr Rudd, the Liberal Party cannot compete with those opposite. The member for Watson accused him of chaos, lacking temperament and an inability to make decisions. The member for Gorton accused him of treachery. If anyone owes Kevin Rudd an apology—

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