Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I withdraw. Senator Hanson-Young has made a practice of not telling the truth to our committee and to this chamber. She's had every opportunity—in fact, she's got two minutes—to get herself down here and prove me to be wrong on this particular issue. She's not even here to talk to the interim report, this thing so precious to her, yet she says that the work is damaged and that the integrity of the committee is damaged. The government is going to resume and participate with the committee, because we've given this senator ample time to particularise issues relating to her allegations. She'll again be invited today to particularise what she's done.

The senator is quite an incompetent operator when it comes to challenging issues in committee systems. We've all been exposed to that frequently. She is a perennial offender, making allegations and interrogating witnesses in committees and in estimates without one single iota as a basis for the statements she makes. Senator Hanson-Young, if someone were to challenge my integrity and indicate that I had not told the truth, I'm telling you that, as fat and old as I am, I would come through the doors of this chamber and they would come off their hinges. So I wonder where you are, Senator Hanson-Young. Where are you? Let us all just pause and listen for her defence of herself. Nothing but silence.

She needs to be condemned for these actions, Madam Deputy President. She needs to be condemned for the potential that these actions have for the integrity of the entire committee system. She needs to be condemned for the potential damage they can have on this Senate, because these committees are, indeed, sitting as the Senate. I call on her one more time: Senator Hanson-Young, make your way down here and defend yourself.