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

The Liberal opposition had the option today of asking an accurate question focused on the concerns of those affected by the floods, or they had the option of trying to smear the Prime Minister and take no interest in those people who have been affected by the floods. They chose the second path. It is embarrassing to see the lack of interest in the people of Queensland, the lack of interest in the impact of the floods on those people and the attempt to try and slur the Prime Minister inaccurately, when she was in Queensland with Senator Barnaby Joyce focused on the needs of those people. I would remind those opposite that when it came to helping the Queensland people, when it came to passing the levy to support investment in Queensland to rebuild, they opposed it. That is how interested they were. Their answer was, 'Add it to the $70 billion black hole we have already got.' We refuse that. We are interested in the people of Queensland. (Time expired)