Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The US presidential election is tightening. Monday's Pew Research Centre poll found 49 per cent of likely voters favoured Republican candidate Mitt Romney and 45 per cent favoured President Barack Obama. Gallop and Rasmussen polls had the candidates level pegging. This is a massive 12-point turnaround from where the polls were a month ago and can be traced back to Mitt Romney's barnstorming performance in the first presidential debate.

What this means is that the presidential race is now game on—anyone can win—which makes the Australian Labor Party's personal and vitriolic attacks on the Republican Party and its candidates all the more damaging and alarming. Let us not forget that Wayne Swan, Treasurer of Australia, called the Republicans 'cranks and crazies'. Foreign Minister Bob Carr in his blog just before entering parliament described Mitt Romney as 'bloodless', former House Speaker and Republican candidate Newt Gingrich as 'the mad professor' and former Republican Senator Rick Santorum as someone who 'lusts for war'. In Carr's words, these 'unworthy opportunists petrified' him. Can you believe it—Australia's foreign minister, our number one diplomat, saying that the man who could very well become the next President of the United States petrifies him.

Let us not forget that, when John Howard made comments about candidate Obama back in 2007, Senator Penny Wong, now finance minister, rushed out a press release saying that risked the strength of the US alliance. Let us hear her say that now—no more double standards from the Labor Party. Forget Bruce Springsteen; we want real politicians who care about the real national interest. Attacking Republicans to shore up your political base is dangerous and against the national interest. (Time expired)