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

It is their legislation, Senator Joyce. It is your own government’s legislation. This is not Labor government legislation. We are in opposition, if you have not noticed—I certainly notice it! But you are in government. It is your own party room that supported this legislation and it is your own Liberal government that is supporting this legislation.

In his comments, Senator Joyce referred to forks in the road and challenged the new Labor leader, Mr Rudd, to reverse Labor’s position and policy on this matter. The sad fact for Senator Joyce and the National Party is that they have been buried under that road. The poor old National Party—they come in here and grandstand occasionally, but the fact is that they are nothing more than doormats for the Liberal Party. They are nothing more than doormats. Senator Joyce might have the occasional verbal outburst, attempting to differentiate himself and the National Party from the Liberal government, but the reality for poor old Senator Joyce and his party is that they are members of a government that long ago buried the National Party in this coalition and is gradually burying the National Party electorally throughout Australia.