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

Do not leave yet, Senator Williams! I was really enjoying that contribution. May I take it that, on behalf of the Transport Workers Union, all Australian truck drivers and the government, when safe rates are implemented in this country, through the other House and this chamber, that you, Senator Williams, and your colleagues in the Nationals and the Liberals will be on this side of the chamber voting through that legislation to deliver safe rates? Is that how I take that, Senator Williams? You are on Hansard, and there will be no place for you to hide should you, through you, Mr Acting Deputy President, not come to this side of the chamber to pass that legislation to ensure that every Australian truck driver is paid and remunerated a very safe and sustainable rate. Do not leave, Senator Williams; there is more!

Senator Williams interjecting—

Unfortunately, I only have four minutes left, but I am rubbing my hands at the great news that the coalition will be supporting the government's safe rates legislation for Australian truckies.

Senator Williams interjecting—

I just heard Senator Williams, as he was scurrying out, say he did not say that. Maybe we will print the Hansard, Senator Williams, as we distribute it to all Australian truck drivers, because you were supporting the legislation no less than one minute 30 seconds ago.

I am a firm believer that every Australian has the right to protest and I have been involved in numerous protests. And do you know what?

I will still be protesting when I believe the cause is right. I will be protesting alongside Qantas workers who will find themselves on the scrapheap. I would support any person who would travel around this country to come to Canberra to support safe rates, but this is very misleading. I have read numerous stories. It is not for me to say how many demonstrators were out there—whether there were 200, 300 or 500, whatever the number; whether there were 50 trucks, 300 trucks. The number was not massive because the protestors had talked it up.

The misleading statements from Senator Williams must be clarified. Not at one stage did I read a piece of material or did I hear on any electronic media a report that those drivers—the truck drivers, not the caravaners—were here protesting on a safe rate. I heard that there were protests about a whole new world order. I heard that there were protests against the ban of the export of live cattle. I heard there were protests against the mining tax. I heard there were protests against the carbon tax. Not once did I read, hear or see one reference to a safe rate for Australia's truck drivers.

I could not take that protest seriously because I do believe that there were probably some very decent hardworking Australians who had it right, and that is fine. But when you have people saying, 'Roll along, come and join us, there are going to be thousands and thousands of people protesting in Canberra,' then they get here and it is a fizz-off, it is a little bit embarrassing for them.

The shameful bit here was the carry on from the resident big mouth, and I do not back down from those words. I am sure that half of the senators on the other side of this chamber would be embarrassed by Alan Jones's behaviour. With the greatest of respect, he attacked journalists because they were not reporting it the way he wanted it reported. Would it not be wonderful if we had the ability to denigrate Alan Jones on his show in the way he denigrates people who do not agree—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Here comes the cacophony of lunatics on the other side running to Alan Jones's defence. The man is not worth defending. Some of you senators on that side of the chamber really are above the way Alan Jones carries on. Going back to my opening statement. I did not support the convoy because I saw it as a group of people who had some manure on their liver who just wanted to vent their spleen. That is fine, not a drama. I will have to put a phone call into Tony Sheldon and say that I sat in this chamber and had the extreme pleasure—I am so excited, I can hardly contain it—to hear that the Nationals, and I take it the coalition partners, the Liberals, cannot wait for a safe sustainable rate being paid to Australia's truck drivers. (Time expired)