Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

In the 17 years I have been in this chamber, I have been involved in the odd states' rights debate and usually those over on the opposite side refuse—though to be fair, they have broken that along the way—though their general philosophical principle is states' rights. On this one they all decided on the advice of Senator Heffernan to decamp from the shadow minister and come and sit over with the Greens, your new allies—Senator Xenophon, Senator Madigan, and I do not think that Senator Williams gets out of this either, and I hope that you are listening Senator Williams—and, yes, the Swans did win the premiership; you are right and you have sent me enough texts to remind me. Senator Williams was quite vocal on this.