Kylea Tink (North Sydney, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Rising today to speak on this current motion is not something I do lightly. In fact I rise with an incredibly heavy heart and, indeed, like many of my other crossbench colleagues, would not have risen today had we had a different response from our previous Prime Minister, the member for Cook. As we've heard from the member for Hotham, the member for Bass, the member for Indi, the member for Wentworth and the member for Goldstein, this is indeed a day where we should all feel very sad about what is currently occurring.

I've seriously considered my position. At the time these actions came to light, I indicated very clearly that I wasn't interested in playing the man. I have run businesses during incredibly intense times, including the downing of the World Trade Center towers in New York, where a number of people from my company were lost during that time. I'm not saying that's the same as running a country, but I do know what it's like to lead in an environment of extreme uncertainty, panic and fear.

The reality is the outcome that we saw of this decision has reduced faith in our federal parliamentary system. Fewer than half of all Australians currently trust us. Fewer than half of all Australians currently trust our federal parliamentary system. We must do better, and so this censure motion today—as taxing as it is, as emotional as it is and as worrying as it is—must be passed, because we must say to Australians more broadly: 'We see you, we hear you and, more importantly, we undertake to represent you. We are here at your behest.' As such, issues such as integrity, transparency and accountability matter every day, especially when you're under pressure.

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