Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you. From time to time, we all need a lecture, and I am happy to be here giving the coalition a lecture on what are supposed to be their values and their principles, because they are absolutely devoid of values and principles. Let me tell you: I am joined in this lecture by the Australianby Paul Kelly. He goes on to say.

The policy plebiscite undercuts the high practice of Westminster politics Australia-style where politicians govern for a three-year term, make their decisions for better or worse, and accept the public's judgment at the next poll.

Then he goes on to say:

When outgoing senator Steve Fielding, after meeting the Opposition Leader and hearing his case, repudiates it as a "stunt", then Abbott is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Well, is he ever! The king of stunts, former Senator Fielding, actually would not associate with this stunt. I just think that says it all, and Paul Kelly has really got you lot under control here in this little article. He goes on to say:

While Abbott said his intent was to "let the people decide", he refused to agree he would abandon his own opposition to the tax if any carbon tax plebiscite was carried. In short, he doesn't take his own proposal seriously. It may have been mildly interesting if Abbott had said he was ready to fall into line with the result. No such concession.

So what has Paul Kelly done here? He has exposed the hypocrisy of the coalition. They call for a plebiscite, but they do not really want a plebiscite; they do not want to accept any outcome from the plebiscite. Paul Kelly only puts it as far as saying it would be 'mildly interesting' if they were even serious about accepting the outcome of a plebiscite, which they are not. So this plebiscite is nothing more than a massive political stunt to add to the political stunts that permeate the coalition as a political party in this place—stunt after stunt. I did describe the Leader of the Opposition a couple of weeks ago as the Evel Knievel of Australian politics—all stunt and no substance. That is what the leader of the coalition is. Paul Kelly continues.

He—

this is the Leader of the Opposition—

did, however, demand from Labor the standard he refused to apply to himself—that Gillard act on the vote.

So he is saying, 'Let's have a plebiscite—let's spend $80 million of taxpayers' funds on a plebiscite—but only if the plebiscite goes the way I want the plebiscite to go will I accept the plebiscite.' You see, it is a one-sided plebiscite. It is not just a stunt of a plebiscite; it is a one-sided plebiscite that would apply only to the government but not to the coalit­ion. No wonder Senator Fielding looked aghast at the coalition—at the height and temerity of the coalition to run a stunt like this. When you have former Senator Fielding aghast at a stunt, you know it is the real big stunt of all time. This is a stunt to end all stunts—one that makes Senator Fielding blush. What a joke! Paul Kelly goes on to say:

This highlights another defect: a plebiscite is non-binding.

Eighty million dollars of public money to run a plebiscite to do what? A glorified poll to say this is what people think at the moment. It means nothing. It is non-binding. Paul Kelly said:

It is a government-sponsored and paid for national opinion poll whose authority derives from that fact. If parliament passed Abbott's bill then Gillard would be obliged to hold the plebiscite that Labor voted against. But Gillard would have no legal obligation to implement the outcome of the vote.

Then Mr Kelly goes on to outline the history of plebiscites in this country. I would call on the coalition to look at the history of plebi­scites and why you should not run divisive plebiscites in this country. So what Paul Kelly has done in one article is demolish any credibility that the coalition might think they have. You have no credibility on economic matters—we know that. You left this country ill-prepared to deal with the challenges of climate change and globalisation—absolute­ly ill-prepared. Your only economic policy was Work Choices, to rip away at workers' wages and conditions. Let me tell you: Paul Kelly has got you guys nailed. He has nailed you and he has said you are incompetent, you have no values, you have no principles and you have abandoned any idea that you have any way forward for this country. Paul Kelly has got you guys nailed. You should be ashamed. When you stand up here, you tell me how you deal with the Kelly argu­ment, because you cannot. (Time expired)