Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

As a party of the mainstream, as the government of this nation, we certainly regard many of the views of the Greens as extreme and we will argue with them, as we have in the past, about those views. But it is perfectly appropriate for them to put those views, because they go before the people of Australia and seek election, as we all do, and they get elected to this place on the basis of how the Australian public perceives them and the level of support they have, which is what is called the democratic process. When they come into this parliament they have the right to exercise their votes as they see fit, and the coalition and the Labor Party work with them to try to gain majority support for propositions in this parliament, as is the expectation of the Australian public. So, yes, I do support the Prime Minister’s views and I do think that people ought to focus on the big issues confronting Australia rather than on this petty political point-scoring.