Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Barnaby Joyce. This motion is about the institution of parliament. None of us want to see this place being seen by the Australian people as a joke. This government has had crisis after crisis in recent years. We've seen former minister Sussan Ley have to step down from her job—resigned over a scandal. We've seen Mr Stuart Robert resign from his position as a minister over a scandal.

We've had crisis after crisis. It's no wonder that politics is at such a low ebb in this country and that people are throwing up their hands in disgust right around this country when they see politicians and political parties putting themselves first. That's what this is—this is about Mr Barnaby Joyce's career and this is about keeping a Prime Minister in power. It is a Prime Minister and a political party that will do whatever it takes to hold on to power. It's not a good look.

All of us need to support this motion today because this is about trust in the institution of parliament. I'm not going to get personal either about Mr Barnaby Joyce—I never have. I'm not going to get personal about this at all, but I will say in relation to politics that this is a man who has been happy to come into this place and the other place and lecture us on morality on issues like same-sex marriage and then display double standards. He's happy to tell young people that if they want an affordable house they should move to Armidale, and then he takes, rent free, an expensive apartment in the same town. This is a guy who is on $400,000 a year. How does this look?

The reason I'm raising these issues is that I ask senators to reflect on how this looks about politicians. Each and every one of us in here is a parliamentarian and a politician, and this diminishes each and every one of us. We are asking for the Deputy Prime Minister—if, indeed, he still is the Deputy Prime Minister next week when on leave—to step down, to resign from his position, for the good of the parliament and all of us and for the reputational damage that this continues to do to our institution.

He has clearly breached ministerial standards. Examples have already been given of the decisions that he's made. Each and every time it looks to the Australian people like this is self-serving politicians feathering their own nest, having their snouts in the trough and taking double standards every chance they get. That's what it looks like to your average punter on the street. That actually matters. That is what matters here today. This is about the institution of parliament, not about Mr Barnaby Joyce.

It should be a clear decision. No doubt it will be some weight off the shoulders of the National Party. I've seen you refuse to answer any questions you've been asked about Mr Barnaby Joyce this week. There has not been any meat on any bones in any answers. I've watched your body language, and clearly you're under the pump and this is a very difficult time for you. I suggest you make it easier by supporting this motion.

No offence to you, Senator Cormann—I think you'll do a very good job as Prime Minister next week—but the man who's supposed to do the job is Barnaby Joyce, and he's going on leave when he's supposed to be the Prime Minister. Young children around this country will be saying one day to their parents: 'I'm going to be Prime Minister. That's what I want to be when I grow up.' When Barnaby Joyce has got the chance to step into the big role, into the shoes of the Prime Minister, and sit in the big chair, he squibs it and goes on leave because he cannot stand the heat of what will happen next week. Senators have estimates the week after that. That's going to be a very busy week, let me tell you. Save yourself some pain and get Barnaby Joyce to resign. (Time expired)