Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

It does not bear thinking about! You blinked. You will not be able to get away from the fact that we had the numbers to get a much, much better outcome than this and you blinked. Stop trying to justify it by saying that they were not going to do it; that this is better than nothing. We could have got better than this, and you blinked. You know it; you blinked. Because your genius leader decided he would not invite you and would not let you actually have the debate with the Treasurer—he was too embarrassed to have you in the room or whatever the excuse was—you blinked. There is no way to hide the fact that the numbers in this chamber were on your side. Two years of work, and you blinked and you let this government off the hook. We would have got a better outcome if you had a spine, a bit of backbone and a bit of political courage. That was not shown by your leader when he left you behind and went off and negotiated with the Treasurer.

Let me be very clear: when Senator Cormann knocks on your door and says that he has another harbour bridge to sell you, you have already bought it! You do not have to buy it a second time. You have already bought it. At least make him sell you the gateway bridge!