Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, the people of Queensland made a decision, Senator Lazarus, at the last election in terms of who they wanted to govern the state. There were no surprises. The government laid down its agenda. It was led by the now Premier of Queensland, Campbell Newman. To refresh your memory: it produced the most outstanding electoral result, pound for pound, anywhere in the Western world. In the full history of records in relation to free, open and democratic elections, the Queensland government swept the pool and depleted Labor to seven people—seven members of the state parliament or the state legislature. This is all about that. I, too, will not be directing my comments largely at the members of the PUP until we get into debating the substantive motion because I want to talk about the abuse. They can be forgiven and they can plead some ignorance, but members of the Australian Labor Party cannot.

There has been another election; there has been a another test of people, and that was back in last September. At that point in time the people of Australia—a much bigger referendum—decided that 43 per cent of the representatives who sit in this place here, in this Senate—the vehicle that is going to be used for this inquiry—come from the coalition: from the government. And yet, those opposite are going to use some numbers to put one of them—of 76 senators in this place—onto this inquiry.

In contrast, members of the Palmer party: I know that these are uncomfortable facts and figures but if you want to talk about equity, the Palmer party represents two per cent of the members in this Senate. Two per cent! Yet they will occupy 40 per cent of the positions on this inquiry. This is an absolute abuse in relation to the decisions that have been taken.

And as if we could not be offended more—as if Clive had some fig leaf draped across—