Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Do you not believe me? He was a baggage handler. While you lot all sat there sipping champagne in the chairman's lounge, he was loading the plane. That is what he was doing.

An honourable senator interjecting —

He was shearing sheep back then, but he is not now, is he? It is like me—I am not moving furniture anymore. But I digress.

Government senators interjecting—

You see, Mr Acting Deputy President, how dare I congratulate an old blue-collar worker with dirt under the fingernails who has done the hard stuff? They still pounce on me. With the born-to-rule mentality on that side of the chamber, it is hard to be serious and make a wonderful contribution to transport security.

So, to go back, when I first walked into this building, that was one of the first inquiries I walked into. The other one was the canker inquiry, and I will talk about that later, on another date. So I do know the importance, and, as Senator Rice said very clearly before me, we cannot overscreen.