Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I am not sure what colour they are! The Greens, Family First and Senator Xenophon have been as trenchant as we have in their criticism of the structure of this package. They have criticised this panic handout of $900 to certain sectors of the Australian community. They have been critical of many parts of this package. I am surprised at the very small price they have been prepared to accept for their support for this irresponsible, ill-targeted, ill thought through package. Their price is remarkably low.

I respect the integrity of the position Senator Xenophon brings to this debate. He has acted with integrity; he has been honest; he has been upfront. He comes here in order to extract from the government support for the Murray-Darling. May I say, as a South Australian senator, I know as well as he does the plight of the Murray-Darling Basin and the difficulty that causes for our state in particular. That is the legacy of state government irresponsibility over years and years. State governments that have responsibility in this country for water management have destroyed the Murray-Darling Basin with their wanton and irresponsible disregard.