Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I withdraw. That was a bit easier than earlier! This is a minister—Senator Nash with an 'N'—who is in absolute policy paralysis and absolutely distracted from operating as a capable minister. She has a total lack of accountability because she cannot even do her job. This is pathetic. Senator Nash has got dual citizenship issues before the High Court and her performance demonstrates why she should have stood aside. She should have done the same as Senator Canavan. Why is it Senator Canavan can stand aside and Senator Nash cannot? There is a huge double standard here. The National Party are so incompetent that they can't ensure that three of their ministers, the Deputy Prime Minister, Senator Canavan and Senator Nash, are actually eligible to be in this place representing their states. The National Party are so incompetent that they are trying to bluff and bluster their way through this whole affair.

This is a minister who has been reduced to a new level of ineffectiveness. The minister has not been very effective since she's been here, but we're now seeing a new low from this minister. Her ineffectuality underscores the National Party. She is unable to answer questions about the pork-barrelling that's going on in New England to try and save the seat of the Deputy Prime Minister, who may not be eligible to be in parliament. They are doing everything they can to cling to power in the lower house, because only one vote stands between them and disaster in the other place.

There are key issues facing rural and regional Australia. They should have ministers there that can concentrate on the issues, not ministers that are so distracted and so sidelined because they may not be eligible to be in this place. People in rural and regional Australia need help on ensuring penalty rates are in place to make sure they can afford a house, help to make sure that the TAFE system in rural and regional Australia is protected, and help to make sure that energy prices are dealt with. This lot cannot deal with any of that. They are so divided, so amateurish, so bad, such a rabble that they can't even get their act together to deal with the key issue of energy prices in this country, which they actually sent the Chief Scientist to go and look at.

The fundamental proposition, the key proposition from the Chief Scientist, was to put a clean energy target in place, yet this rabble of a government can't even get their act together to do that. And now we're seeing projects being announced in New England to try to save the hide of the Deputy Prime Minister—if the High Court determines that he is ineligible to be here. This is a coalition in disarray. This is a coalition that just do not have an answer for the key issues facing Australian people. (Time expired)