Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

and has come back in to the chamber as soon as possible, and then you have the disgraceful performance of the shadow minister for Defence, deliberately attacking a public servant—a public servant in uniform; a man who I think had about a 30-year career within our Defence Force, in the Navy—absolutely attacking him, under parliamentary privilege. Then, when the media suggests to him after the event that it might be time to apologise, and when the chair invites him to apologise, and he says, 'Take it to the floor of the Senate'—indicative of the contempt of the shadow minister for Defence for our men and women in uniform—there is no apology, and no commentary from Senator Wong. Indeed, I wish she would have turned her back on Senator Conroy rather than me in relation to this matter, because it shows the difference in standards. Mr President, can I simply say to those opposite: your record and your actions have spoken much louder than your words in this debate.

We, on this side—

Senator Conroy interjecting—