Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today in defence of the good members of the Australian Labor Party who are in this chamber here today and who, time and time again, come into this debating chamber and very valiantly fight to mop up the mess of their Minister for Climate Change and Energy. That can't be easy for them, but they keep doing it. Today, after question time, there will be another debate that everyone in this chamber knows is called a matter of public importance. It will probably be about the ninth or 10th such debate in the minister's portfolio. He has not turned up to one such debate ever—not one debate. He is a no-show.

But since this debate today is about his new tax—the tax on the family car, the tax on the tradie's ute—I invite the minister, who is here in the chamber now, to attend this debate after question time. I know you don't like this, but you know what? Those on your backbench who valiantly come in here to mop up your mess deserve to see you defend this tax after question time. I respectfully issue you that invitation.