Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

Quite frankly, Senator Feeney, I would not feel particularly comfortable sitting in a place when I was only here to make up the numbers.

This Prime Minister is taking and using sexism in a most despicable way, to hide her incompetence. As a woman in this parliament, I am ashamed of her conduct. I am ashamed of the way that she is carrying on. I am ashamed of the way Minister Roxon and Minister Plibersek go out there with their handbags, as part of the 'handbag hit squad' going on about Tony Abbott. It is absolutely despicable.

It is a question of integrity. It is a question of lack of transparency. The government should be disclosing that advice. What is it that they have got to hide? I think what is happening here is that this money is going to organisations like the Canberra Labor Club Group and the Canberra Tradesmen's Union Club, and how are we to know that it is not going to be used for donation and campaign purposes? Just because the minister tells us? I do not believe a word that Minister Macklin says on this issue. She is another one of them. I would not believe a word she says. I would like to see this advice and I would like to be assured about this, as a taxpayer. I would like to speak on behalf of the many taxpayers around Australia who are not happy to see their hard-earned tax money being squandered, potentially, by going to organisations such as the Canberra Labor Club Group and the Canberra Tradesmen's Union Club. So I call on Minister Evans, I call on Minister Macklin and I call on this government to release that advice, to make that advice public. If you have got nothing to hide then you should be releasing that advice. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.