Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

There have been some long bows drawn in this chamber but that is one of the longest. Thirdly, the Rudd government has listened. We listened to a variety of stakeholders and we listened to senators, and on the basis of those consultations we have offered a new proposal. But Senator Xenophon is remaining stubbornly fixed to his own proposal, refusing to budge an inch, refusing to acknowledge the government’s willingness to engage and he is determined to deny 100,000 Australians their due tax cut. Senator Fielding has now made a clear show of economic responsibility. He has declared he will support this measure. So now it is time for you opposite to demonstrate whether you are interested in economic vandalism or in waking up and smelling the roses, like Senator Fielding has, and recognising that it is too important right now to play this sort of politics and it is too important to the economic security of this country to be irresponsibly blocking measures that deliver that security. That is what is important. We want to make sure that 330,000 Australians get the tax cut that they have been waiting for. Senator Williams, 330,000 Australians get a tax cut today if you vote for this legislation. You should understand that otherwise it is vandalism. You should understand that it is not good enough to sit over there and play politics—