Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise, as Senator Cameron has, to take note of answers to questions that were put to the government with regard to the comments of Mr Barilaro and also Senator Cash's behaviour in recent times. I'm still quite shocked by the language used to describe a member of the Nationals party. As a Labor politician I'm used to hearing Senator Brandis and his colleagues on the other side admonish Labor in the most egregious terms. But it was pretty indicative of how chaotic, dysfunctional and lacking in unity this government is when they described the remarks of Mr Barilaro. And let's just get those remarks on the record. He said on Friday on Alan Jones's program that 'Turnbull should give Australians a Christmas gift and go before Christmas.' Well, it would be a nice Christmas gift. I could do with that wrapped up. I'd be very happy to see that under the Christmas tree. Mr Barilaro went on to say, 'The Prime Minister is the problem.'