Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

The morale of the Australian people is at the lowest it has ever been. Of course, we know Senator Marshall is buoyant and joyous, because he loves to thrive on the chaos over there as the Left are taking control! But, you know, Senator Marshall, not everyone indulges in your sense of schadenfreude. Not everyone takes pleasure out of the pity and misery of others, let me tell you. We will let you occupy that rare niche with your band of followers over there, clearly one of whom voted for you for President of this chamber—given that it wasn't you!

Returning to the matters of substance that really do concern the Australian people: it is about job security, it is about the cost-of-living issues, it is about these new taxes that are coming in from this government. It seems to me that there is a huge level of denial, a denial that this government is responsible for the bad policies, that it is responsible for these massive budget deficits, that its carbon tax is going to increase the cost of living for families and is going to drive industry out.

I heard a story the other day about Mr Dreyfus QC, from the other place, who was confronted by an angry man who said, 'This carbon tax is going to put the cost of my electricity in my manufacturing plant up by $250,000 or so.' And Mr Dreyfus said, 'See, you've got nothing to worry about'! This is the level of denial that is creeping out into the public. The Labor Party are so removed from reality that they say, 'This doesn't matter; it'll be okay in 2013 or 2015, and we are on the right track.' We are not on the right track. We have taken the wrong path. We have taken the low road. It is the road that is leading Australia downhill. We need to replace this government. That is some­thing that the Australian people agree on. If you are not convinced of that, take it to an election. (Time expired)