Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I have had worse insults from Senator Ludlam during debates around things like national security and data retention. But that is fine. It just does not get to me, Senator Ludlam, so do not worry about it. If you want me to be characterised as boring that is okay. I have been accused of worse things.

The point that I was going to make about this whole discussion about what motivates Senator Di Natale was that I got over the 2004 election. He obviously has not. He has not got over it. That is really sad, because I had the trolls in the Greens Party going for me. I had every insult you could possibly imagine but, jeez, I got over that years ago. What happened with Senator Di Natale that he would be prepared to be led by the nose in the Senate chamber in the way that we have seen; to not worry about a whole range of very important transparency principles in the way the Senate works; to allow Senator Rhiannon to be led by the nose on how a Senate inquiry, or a joint inquiry in this case, should occur; to not worry about issues such as public interest immunity—and I could go on and on? The number of principles that the Greens claim to represent about open and transparent government all of a sudden are being ignored completely.

I know the Greens are not fully united here. I know you have a little front happening and you are all in here—actually, no, Senator Sarah Hansen-Young is not here. I am not surprised, because Senator Hanson-Young does have a bit of a better sense about the implications of this, which is why she did not give a second reading contribution, I suspect. She does see the writing on the wall. She is concerned about the implications of what has gone on here and she understands that she is obviously not in the Kroger deal. Mr Kroger, I think, excluded both her and Senator Rhiannon as examples of: 'Oh no, they are new, these Greens. Senator Di Natale, he is a doctor and he owns a farm.'

An opposition senator: And he is a man.

Yes, but I do not know if the gender issue is necessarily relevant in here because I think there is another South Australian senator who is vulnerable as well who is not a woman—

Government senators interjecting—

At least as far as I am aware—

Government senators interjecting—

The suggestion was that there was a relevant gender issue. My point was that I do not think there is. But if you are entertained by that, that is fine. Go for it.

The real issue—and I have seen Greens leadership for many years here now—is that I could not imagine Bob Brown doing anything of this nature. Sure, on the Kroger criteria, Bob was a doctor and Bob owns a farm. But this sanctimonious lecturing—

Government senators interjecting—

I know that Senator Bob Brown has said, 'I do not mind these arrangements.' That is a different point. I cannot imagine him allowing the Greens to be led by the nose and completely walk over the various important principles that have been established in this place about transparency and the way we conduct our affairs. I cannot imagine him sanctioning Senator Rhiannon to allow a committee inquiry to occur without having the department appear. It is a joke. And that you cannot see that highlights what this really is about. You have been dug in, you are now in denial and you are just going to trot across to support this fix on every occasion. (Time expired)