Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, the WA Liberal agreement, as it has been reported, with One Nation is completely different from any other arrangement. It has nothing to do with the Prime Minister and it is absolutely nothing that the Liberal Party has not done before with the National Party in Western Australia. The fact that you are trying to drag up a situation with John Howard from over 20 years ago, I think, is really quite pathetic. With all of the other issues we have on our agenda here and the things in this place that we should be talking about—child care, national security, employment, education—you are sitting up and dragging three of your colleagues through the mud. You are condemning them for absolutely no reason. They were elected by over half a million people and they have a right to have their voices heard in this place. So, if you are going to be true to your word that we should not in Western Australia do a deal with the National Party or with One Nation or with the shooters and fishers or any other party, have a look at your own preference records; you are completely hypocritical on this, as are the Greens.

The Greens are the party that got Clive Palmer elected with their preference deals. So what are you going to do? Are you going to keep doing preference deals with the Greens? What is the difference? You are completely and utterly hypocritical. This sort of sanctimony and game playing is why the Turnbull government acted to put the powers of preferences federally firmly in the hands of voters with our Senate reforms last year. We believe that voters should choose where their preferences go.

Finally, what also disturbs me is that not only are you going back to 20 years ago, to a completely different political environment, but you clearly do not understand the difference between state and federal election arrangements, because this is a WA state party arrangement with a party that has every right to campaign, exist and seek government in Western Australia. Just because we respect the voters and what the voters are telling us does not mean we have to agree with their point of view.

I want to put on the record how disgraceful I thought Labor's performances were here today. It was wrong for them to attack three of their Senate colleagues on the basis that they have no right to go into negotiations or to deal with any other political parties, and it was wrong that Senator Hanson had to come here to justify her humanity and her existence. Instead of playing the person, instead of vilifying them, why don't you start playing the politics and start coming in here and debating the issues? Come in here and debate the issues they and we are raising, rather than just attacking individuals in the Senate. It is demeaning, and I think it is beneath us all. (Time expired)