John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Well, another year, another waste of parliamentary time. Yet another matter of public importance from the opposition, yet more relentless bellyaching negativity. It may be a new parliamentary year, but of course there is nothing new from the opposition. Today we have heard from Senator Brandis that the opposition is concerned about the retirement of long-serving ministers from federal parliament. He says that this is a sign of political dysfunction. Both Senator Evans and Ms Roxon have served in senior cabinet portfolios for over five years. Let us get real: they both had long parliamentary careers. Neither will cause a by-election by resigning from parliament, neither of them will stick the taxpayers for the cost of a by-election at the conclusion of their parliamentary career. This is rather a different course of action to that taken by senior members of the Liberal and National parties in recent years. Mr McGauran, from the National Party, resigned and caused a by-election. Mr Downer resigned and caused a by-election. Mr Vaile, the leader of the National Party, resigned and caused a by-election. Dr Brendan Nelson, a very recent leader of the Liberal Party, resigned and caused a by-election. And Mr Peter Costello, who is of course Senator Brandis's political hero, resigned and caused a by-election. So it is true that people do resign and move on in politics. It is the way of things. But I consider that it is appropriate for a minister to announce their intentions prior to an election. I did it myself before the last election because I consider it to be the right thing to do. But I do not recall Mr McGauran, Mr Downer, Mr Vaile, Dr Nelson or former Treasurer Costello doing that.

In the case of my colleague Senator Evans, he has led his party in this chamber for eight years. Few have served so long in leadership positions and I think few can match the contribution that he has made. When anyone in the Liberal Party can do so, I will be the first to say that they are in a position to pass judgement. Until then, I suggest the opposition take a more dignified approach and simply congratulate Senator Evans for his long and meritorious service.

There has been a lot of talk, and we have just heard it, about the Prime Minister's announcement of the timing of the 2013 federal election. She has announced that the writs will be issued on Monday, 12 August, with the election being held on Saturday, 14 September. I am a longstanding supporter of fixed-term elections. I am pleased that weeks of political debate in this country this year will not be focused on mindless speculation about when the election will be called and held. Hopefully this will mean that there will be more focus on the merits of the candidates and parties who contest the election. We should not forget that New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory all have fixed election dates. So the situation really is not going to be any different in relation to this year's federal election. I personally happen to think this is a good development.

In this matter of public importance the opposition again accuse the government of chronic dysfunction and maladministration. They make that claim lacking insight into their own obvious shortcomings. They make this claim without any capacity for self-reflection, without any acknowledgement that the opposition is a policy-free zone, without any admission of their own deficiencies, their own manifest weaknesses. Who could forget the leaked internal coalition documents that showed that the Liberals would have to make $70 billion in cuts to the budget over four years to pay for their promises? Who could forget Mr Abbott, Mr Hockey and Mr Robb tying themselves in knots trying to explain that disaster away? And we are still waiting for their explanation; I suspect it will not be forthcoming. We know that $70 billion in cuts would be the equivalent of stopping family tax benefit payments for three years or cutting the age pension for two years. In the absence of any policies, all we really know about Mr Abbott and his colleagues on the other side of the chamber is that they would threaten jobs and saddle Australians with the impact of a massive budget black hole. We know that they would continue to keep their heads in the sand in relation to the disastrous impacts of climate change.

Senator Joyce interjecting—

I know you laugh at that, Senator Joyce, but you are well known as a climate change denier. You are entitled to that view. You are entitled to stand up against all the science and maintain your position. Good luck to you—you will need it. We know that the coalition will ignore the Gonski recommendations and strip away millions from education, and destroy the NBN, leaving businesses and households without the benefit of a 21st century communications network. Mr Abbott and the opposition's belligerent and merciless negativity will never be a substitute for the policies needed to secure Australia's future. Senator Brandis can fulminate as much as he likes, but we all know that in September this year Australians will make a choice. Regardless of the carping of Senator Brandis and the opposition, I can assure you that the government will continue to argue its strong case—

Opposition senators interjecting—