Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

That is a lot clearer now! Was that a yes or a no? Apparently, the problem is that I am wrapping myself in the Australian flag—why didn't I think of that? That was obviously the answer we were looking for, Ms Finlay!

The problem is that it is not about an answer of yes or no, it is not about the fact that we cannot get a straight answer; it is about some clandestine plot, personally orchestrated by me, to bring down the nation! I knew that that was what we were looking for! This is absurd. This is a senior member of the government of Australia. What a joke. What a ridiculous state of affairs. They are so utterly incompetent, so totally bereft of any capability whatsoever that they cannot read their own submission. Their own quotes are handed back to them and proved to be wrong. They end up with four, five and then six positions between five and 20 minutes. They are supposed to represent the government.

They get frustrated. They cannot answer the question. The minister cannot even correct himself and say, 'No, I made a mistake'—I am sure there is a less genteel way to put it—'I made a big boo-boo and I really should correct the record.' Does he correct the record? No. He goes into some diatribe about wrapping people in the Australian flag, traitors, Prince Philip, a one-world government and who knows what else, but he cannot actually give an answer. The thing about this is that it is such a classic exemplar of what this government is. These are the people who, in a couple of weeks, are going to cool the planet. Honestly, it is Pythonesque.

What exactly was that about me wrapping myself in the Australian flag and being the servant of foreign interests? Where does that sort of tripe come from? Why don't you just brief yourself on the legislation that is before you? Can't you understand how totally and utterly foolish saying that makes you look? Do you even comprehend how absolutely ridiculous you looked then? Does it make any sense to you? Do you care? Why don't you just go back to the record and correct your position? I am going to hold you to it. You have said the word 'yes'.