Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

That is right, and we are talking about an MPI that relates to Defence and the budget.

Finally, when you in the chair, Mr Deputy President, suggest that perhaps the matter was supported, Senator Boyce jumps to her feet because she realises that she needs to be the fifth person.

The point I am getting at here is that if the opposition were really serious about what is happening in Defence and the state of the defence budget they would be all lined up, sitting in their places and ready to jump up like a jack-in-the-box to prove they are serious about a debate on defence. They would not be scratching around like a crow looking for a worm, trying to find at least five of their members who could support this MPI. It was not the case that they were all lined up; they had to scratch around to find five. Occasionally when you look you think it is supported because there are a whole lot of people standing up, but in fact they were not in their right places. They do not know what to do and they do not have a strategy.