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

If it assists the Senate, I will withdraw. The economic incompetence, the right-wing radicals on the other side—what a pathetic mob they are! They are an absolute rabble of a government. I hope that's okay to say, because I think that's pretty right. They are being dragged from pillar to post by the extremists on the other side. Senator Bernardi, the No. 1 Trump fan in Australian politics, is out there trying to learn from President Trump in the US—create more division, create problems for the economy and don't worry about what the implications are. It is a disastrous situation. The only way this can be fixed is with the election of a Shorten government at the next election.

The sooner this rabble of a government go to an election, the better. The sooner they get out and allow the Australian people to make a choice for stability and good economic management, the better. The Prime Minister went out and said that these recent by-elections in Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia were a test of his leadership. He failed that test. Senator Cormann went out and said that the by-elections were a test of the tax cut policy. Senator Cormann, you failed that test. This government should pack their bags, go to an election and let the country become a better country, a decent country and a fairer country, not a country dominated by the supporters of big business and the banks. That's what this mob are: the supporters of big business, the supporters of the banks, the supporters of the people who would fill their own wallets at the expense of ordinary working people in this country. They are an absolute disgrace. For Senator Bernardi to get up and have this bill on here today after he took exactly the opposite position in government is an example of how crazy it's getting in this place. This is a crazy government. They don't get it. They don't understand how working people are doing it tough. All they want to do is look after the big end of town and look after the banks.