Sam Rae (Hawke, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It has been a curious few weeks in the parliament. We've seen the unholiest of political alliances form—Member for Macnamara—and even a few odd couples unite. Last night, we saw bedazzled MPs of different political parties and even different parliaments come together at the Midwinter Ball. Last week, we saw the Greens political party conspiring with the Liberals to block important reform to the NDIS. Yesterday, we again saw the Greens party teaming up with the Liberals to shamefully vote against peace in the Middle East. Just a few days ago, we saw a remarkable Communist infiltration of the coalition party room as the Leader of the Opposition announced his policy to force supermarket divestiture. It left me wondering: is the Leader of the Opposition the political love child of Margaret Thatcher and Karl Marx?

Clearly, the Liberals' capitulation to the Nationals' interventionist streak has caused some rumblings across the proverbial aisle. Liberals were lining up to brief out against the policy and the tactics of the Leader of the Opposition. One of those Liberals opposite said, 'It felt like an ambush.' Another said, 'It feels like the Nationals tail is wagging the Liberals dog.' Perhaps most shockingly, one anonymous Liberal said, 'A lot of promises are being made to people that I don't think will be kept.' While I already lacked faith in the Liberals to be able to deliver on their promises, even those opposite don't trust the words of their leader. If his own caucus doesn't believe in the Leader of the Opposition, the Australian people certainly can't either.

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