Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

He has been here for much longer than any of those shouting from the other side will ever be. His contribution to Australia in the time he has been here will surpass the contribution of all those on the other side put together. It is a disgrace that the Labor Party have now perhaps sunk even lower than when Mr Latham was the leader. One would think that they could not have gone lower than Mr Latham. These people all supported him, of course, but the general public saw through Mr Latham. It is of interest that it now seems that the current leader is determined to lower the standards even further. That sort of loutish behaviour, where you confront in a physical way members of parliament who are out there making their points of view known, expressing their views as we love to do and are entitled to do in this country, does not suit Mr Beazley. He did not want to answer the questions that Mr Tuckey was suggesting should be put to him. Mr Tuckey quite rightly said: ‘Don’t talk about the so-called Liberal rebels; ask what the Labor Party is doing. Ask why the Labor Party is so weak on border protection, so weak on these sorts of issues that they oppose the government.’

But congratulations to the department on the work they did in the year 2004-05. And good luck to the current minister as she tackles some of the really difficult issues confronting Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.