Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this matter of public importance. It is good to speak last because you get to listen to all the other contributors—and some certainly challenge the thought processes on this side of the chamber. I want to clear the air on one thing—and sorry to those poor souls outside of parliament who may be listening because they are stuck in a traffic jam or whatever. I have been in this place for five years and have listened to many debates. But when I was listening to the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Abetz from Tasmania, lecture the Special Minister of State about ‘decency in dealings’ and the other words he used, I found what he was saying absolutely disgraceful. It is absolutely incredible because that senator was caught colluding with a witness to train that witness how to answer questions at a Senate hearing. I am dying for someone from the other side to challenge me on this, because no senator in this chamber would dare think that they could get away with that sort of corrupt behaviour.