Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Banking and Financial Services) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, exactly—ongoing defiance of the chair. We are used to these heavy-handed attempts by the government. They have the numbers in the Senate. They are in full arrogance mode. It has been 10 years; they have been partying and celebrating all of this week. We are used to this sort of creeping arrogance that we have had over the last nine or 10 months since they have had control in the Senate. We are used to that.

Arrogance in terms of public policy is not a good approach, Senator Kemp. Your record as Assistant Treasurer is hardly one that would inspire the Australian public. Senator Murray, from the Democrats, who is in the chamber, is, although I do not always agree with him, a well-informed observer of the tax debate. He would well remember Senator Kemp’s last appearance in public, on The 7.30 Report, as Assistant Treasurer, when he had to defend the introduction of the GST and the exemption being given to high-rollers in casinos. That appearance on The 7.30 Report was infamous.