Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Well, he should be making comments, because he has one of the highest positions in this land. He should be saying, ‘Prime Minister, I think we had better have another look at this. How is this going to impact on the tourism industry?’ I have never thought of him as a yes man. I have always thought that he would argue his case. But someone is letting a lot of these things through. Mr Rudd may not like criticism; he may not like opposition to his ideas. But, Senator Conroy, it is up to you as a sworn minister in cabinet to put your hand up sometimes and say, ‘Prime Minister, putting these passenger charges up is going to have a huge impact on the tourism industry. Do you think we should just defer it or do you think we should have a look at it? Do you think we should get someone in to tell us what to do about it?’ But it does not seem that anyone in the cabinet is prepared to challenge the Prime Minister or to challenge anyone. Maybe you are all just interested in your own little bailiwicks and your own little fiefdoms. Something is not right in cabinet, because these things continue to—