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

As I understand the situation, a branch stack is allowing every single man and woman that was elected to this parliament under the coalition banner to speak in the party room in circumstances when the Prime Minister, four days out from the election, said that this would be a decision made by not the cabinet but the coalition party room when the issue arose. The issue arose, the coalition party room discussed the matter and every single man and woman in that party room that wanted to have a say was actually given a say. This is supposed to be, and I would welcome, an informed debate, but the shouting, the catcalling and the behaviour of those on the other side who would deny their colleagues the opportunity to vote as they would like stands, I must say, in stark contradistinction to what we in the coalition party room do, and that is—

Senator Wong interjecting—

And the leader interjects and says we had a six-hour debate, which of course debunks the assertion that somehow a Prime Minister— (Time expired)