Julian Simmonds (Ryan, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

NDS () (): It's very clear to me that the biggest threat to Australia's security and the safety of Australians is the Leader of the Opposition and his very good mate the member for Melbourne. Last time Labor were in government, they were in bed with the Greens and, together, they cut Defence spending to its lowest level since 1938. And now, as they look to rekindle their love affair and weave friendship bracelets together, their plan is clear—rinse and repeat. The Greens have already announced that they will cut our Defence spending in half. The Greens also don't believe in protecting our borders, and they have a fellow traveller in the Leader of the Opposition. This is a Leader of the Opposition who proudly declared in between shedding tears for Kevin Rudd—what a loss that was!—and declaring that he wanted to fight Tories that he could never personally turn back a boat. He's a Leader of the Opposition that when he was last in government was part of a team that cut funding to ASIO, the AFP and the Criminal Intelligence Commission. Along with cutting funding to Defence, it cut funding to every major organisation that keeps Australians safe.

The member for Melbourne proudly produces his videos outlining how he would dictate terms to a Labor government and how he would play with them like a puppet master. At a time of increasing global threat and uncertainty, Labor and the Greens would together endanger Australians.

I want to thank the members of the Defence Force and law enforcement community in my electorate. They have my support. The Leader of the Opposition may have the support of the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, but he doesn't deserve the support of Australians.

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