Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why hasn't the Prime Minister asked government agencies to undertake any investigations into Australians caught up in the Panama Papers scandal? Why does the Prime Minister continue to protect the banks from a royal commission despite reports that the Commonwealth Bank allowed money to be laundered by terrorists? Why won't this born-to-rule Prime Minister use his power to do something about misconduct at the top end of town and stop abusing his power to attack people and organisations who highlight his failings?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am so glad that Melbourne's greatest sycophant has raised the top end of town. One enterprise bargain after another was sold out to big business—one deal after another; one set of penalty rates after another; one sweetheart deal after another. And, all the time, he postured as the great friend of big business. There he was. We know how much time he spent sucking up to Dick Pratt and all the other billionaires.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Yes, you. You. There is nothing more sycophantic than a Labor politician in the presence of a billionaire. Believe me, I've seen quite a few of both, and I know these are the great sucker-uppers of all time. He talks about big business. What was the party—let me remember—that voted against our bill to tackle multinational tax avoidance? It was the Labor Party. That's right. That's how committed they were. The grovelling, the compromises, the special deals—we've seen them all; their members have seen them all. But nothing takes the cake quite so much as paying members' money to GetUp! which, after all, wants to put AWU members out of work.