Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

And Prime Minister John Howard is lecturing Australians about standards of decency! Maybe he should have a good look in his own party room. It is no surprise that Senator Heffernan does not think the Australian Wheat Board has done anything wrong by greasing Saddam Hussein’s palm to the tune of $300 million. A blithe acceptance of obscene behaviour like this fits perfectly with Senator Heffernan’s and the Howard government’s complete rejection of the norms of civilised society.

No wonder Senator McGauran, with his filthy finger, wanted to sit closer to the marauding Senator Heffernan—they are a pair together. Senator Barnaby Joyce was right to say that Senator Heffernan should wake up to himself. But the Howard government and leaders within the government, like Senator Minchin, have the responsibility to drag him into line and make him, if he will not wake up to himself. It is appalling that John Howard and Nick Minchin—