Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, Senator McEwen, we will continue to highlight hypocrisy and duplicity as shown by the Labor Party in going to an election saying no carbon tax and then conniving with the Greens to bring in a carbon tax. Unfortunately the Labor Party has caught the green disease. They think they can say one thing and then do something completely different. That is why I have warned the Labor Party time and time again that if you lie down with dogs you will get up with fleas. You have lain down with the Australian Greens and you now have the fleas of duplicity and betrayal of the Australian people on your fur. You know what? I hope the Australian people de-flea you very shortly. But they will also, hopefully, get rid of this government and allow sensible government and mature government to be restored to this country.

Back to the matter at hand. The Australian Greens and Senator Hanson-Young do need to explain to the Australian people why it is so outrageous, why it is so improper, for a coalition senator to have contact with a public servant prior to a Senate estimates hearing but it is all okay when an Australian Green does it. It is the hypocrisy, and that is what the Australian Greens stand for. It is hypocrisy writ large and we have seen it again. Of course, what was the only media outlet willing to really give it a good run? The Australianthe 'hate media', because any media outlet that exposes the duplicity, the hypocrisy and the dishonesty is labelled the hate media and threatened with an inquiry and threatened with licences.

Opposition senators interjecting—