Andrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I will note the interjection there. As an informed intellectual, you would know I am under no obligation to leave at all. I was not rolled; I chose not to run, because I recognise the need to get rid of you lot, and the only way to get rid of you lot properly and get transformational change is to start winning seats in the lower house. I've chosen to step out of my job early to focus all my energies on winning lower house seats so we can totally transform this political system. I could have stayed here on that $200,000 a year salary with cars and all the things your people are reportedly so keen to keep; I'm not. I'm not seeking a medal for that; all I'm saying is we need to be focusing on what will create change for the Australian public, not on our own interests. That is why so many Australians have had enough of the political system overall. That's why they think the whole place is not working in their interests. They can see that, inside this bubble, people are focused on what works for them, their mates and their donors. That's the matter of public importance, and the thing we need to change.