Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I will take that interjection, Senator Williams. Your side are very good at forgetting that you implemented a number of levies during the Howard government years. In 12 years, there were six levies. For your side to jump up and down and say that if we implement a levy then we have not got any financial accountability is completely hypocritical and completely bizarre. The people of Australia realise how bizarre it is for your side to jump up and down and carry on about it. We had histrionics in here earlier in the day from Senator Ronaldson about the flood levy. He was jumping up and down and getting all theatrical. I am not quite sure which school of theatrics the opposition members come from. It was money that was probably not completely wasted, but in some situations they make too much of a fuss too often. They oppose everything that we put up. They are not interested in anything of significance. They do not support the flood levy. What they are saying to the people of Queensland is, ‘We don’t really care; we’re not willing give up 80c a week to help you guys rebuild your state.’ It is absolutely abhorrent of the opposition to stand up and make such fatuous claims and try to scaremonger so much. They are trying to frighten the people of Australia. I do not think that it does the opposition any good or that it benefits them in any way—which is of not much concern to me, but it belittles the whole concept behind the flood levy and what it is meant to be doing for the people of Queensland and Australia.