Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The senator opposite said that I was abusing privilege. At least he is admitting to this abuse of privilege by the government. That is coming from the minister on the front bench at the moment. It is an admission to what is going on here—that is, abuse of privilege and the snubbing of this Senate.

The fact is that it is not the minister who came in with this statement today; Prime Minister John Howard is covering up and saying, ‘I won’t level with the public.’ Here we go again. It is a disgraceful message to the Senate from the Prime Minister of this country on the eve of his—and my—10th anniversary, which will be tomorrow—