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

I know you agree, Senator Bernardi. Yesterday, Senator Macdonald accused poor old finance minister Cormann of not making any sense. I thought that was harsh, but fair from Senator Macdonald. But, even after the Prime Minister's very, very clumsy attempts that we have seen to water down his Paid Parental Leave Scheme in April, his own mates from the big end of town are running away from this policy at a million miles an hour. So you have to ask yourself: who does support this scheme? If the Prime Minister cannot convince his own party and his own backbench to support this ill-conceived scheme, why should the rest of us support it?

We have just had the spectacle after question time of a point of order from Senator Macdonald that was ruled correctly out of order by the Deputy President. My advice to Senator Macdonald—who of course said that he and I are very long-serving senators, which is true—is: make sure, as you move towards the end of your career, with six years to go, Senator Macdonald, that you are treated by your party and colleagues with respect and loyalty. Do not— (Time expired)