Steve Hutchins (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald said a number of things in his contribution in this address-in-reply debate that I take issue with. One thing, of course, with which I would not take issue is his description of the Greens. While the major parties are often accused of being opportunistic and cynical, those of us who have observed the Greens in action here in the Senate and publicly, particularly in New South Wales, would have to say that the Greens are high up in both of those categories. Another point I want to make is the cynicism and the absolute political opportunism of the Green parties, but not at this stage because I do want to make sure that I do not miss them one bit. The one thing that I think we should remind Australians about is the day that Senator Hanson-Young brought her child in here, which caused a kerfuffle. You may recall that, Madam Acting Deputy President, because it was the same day, as I recall, that the Greens were being asked to explain a half-million-dollar donation—I think it was in cash—that they were having difficulty explaining. But only the major political parties get accused of being cynical, not the white knights in the Greens.

Senator Macdonald also talked about our Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Simon Crean. Senator Macdonald has been around a long time. He would recall that in the dying days of the Gorton government Billy McMahon was made Minister for Primary Industry. Billy McMahon was a member for an area around Sydney that covered Strathfield, Homebush, a bit of Ashfield and other places that I cannot recall at the moment. Prime Minister McMahon did not live in his electorate when he was a minister. He lived in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. He would have been an elector of Malcolm Turnbull. So it is not without precedent that we have had people who have lived in the inner city. Your party, Senator Macdonald, set the precedent by making Billy McMahon the Minister for Primary Industry.