Sam Dastyari (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am quoting a poet here. I notice that other senators are laughing; I just do not think they are treating this with the respect that it deserves:

Magic, madness, heaven, sin

Saw you there and I thought oh my god

Look at that face, you look like my next mistake

…   …   …

New money, suit and tie

I can read you like a magazine

Ain't it funny rumors fly

And I know you heard about me

…   …   …

So it's gonna be forever

Or it's gonna go down in flames

You can tell me when it's over

If the high was worth the pain

What we have here is a government in crisis, a government in dysfunction and a government that has completely fallen apart. What have they done? What is the decision they have made? They are prepared to throw anything or anyone overboard simply to protect their own political hides. But, frankly, they think the problem has been in the delivery of the message. The problem is in the message itself.

I noticed in question time today that Senator Ronaldson had a bit of a Freudian slip. I think he was trying to say that he was really worried about 'xenophobia', but he actually said he was worried about the 'xenophonic' attitudes of the Australian public. That is a new word. It means when there are one or more Nick Xenophons in the same place at the same time. I know that something, certainly at the South Australian level, has really frightened the Liberal Party. But, frankly, this is a government that is in crisis and is out of control. (Time expired)