Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is supposed to be a matter of public importance, and indeed it is. On that, I do agree with the opposition. However, what we've seen here today is a fractious display, a display that does a great disservice, quite frankly, not only to the good men and women who serve in the Defence Force but, indeed, to the safety and security of our nation. This is not a matter to quibble over. I'm proud to say that I am part of a government and, within that government, a defence team that is working incredibly hard to make the serious and long-term decisions for our future and for our security.

Today we've heard from the alternative defence minister harking back two years and speaking about defence in a way that does not serve our people—

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