Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on this matter of public importance introduced to this place by our parliamentary colleague from the Australian Labor Party, Senator Collins. What an extraordinary joy and a privilege it is to be able to speak on this matter of public importance: the government's apparently relentless negativity and inability to focus on issues that Australians care about. I take personal offence at this one. Frankly, I still come to work every day with a pep in my step and a glide in my stride. If you're going to find relentless negativity anywhere, it's going to be on that side of the chamber, not on this side of the chamber. In fact, I would go so far as to say that relentless negativity starts with Senator Collins herself. Little Miss Sunshine of the Labor Party—doesn't she just add a little sparkle and glamour to every single day—comes in here and accuses us of negativity! How extraordinary. We heard from Senator Gallacher. Wasn't that a lovely 10 minutes? Gosh! It felt like it was so much longer. Senator Gallacher is a man who has all the gravitas of a personalised licence plate. Then we heard from Senator Faruqi, our newest senator, from the Greens. I had such high hopes for Senator Faruqi. However, sadly, just like her colleague Senator Whish-Wilson, she is forever trapped in a first-year Arts student mentality. But that's all right. Don't worry about that. She'll grow up at some stage, we hope.

Can I thank Senator Ketter, though—my good friend Senator Ketter, the deputy chair of the economics committee, with whom I work and whom I admire greatly. But let's be honest, Senator Ketter. For those few minutes you spoke—I'm not sure how long; again, it did feel like a long time—it was far more Eeyore that it was Tigger—