Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development (Senate)) Share this | Hansard source

I have to be really clear here: it is a wonderful opportunity to attack this dysfunctional and embarrassing government that we have. But I'm not going to. I'll tell you why I'm not going to. There are a few things I want to say that I want the people of Australia to hear and really understand. There are some very good people on that side of the chamber—people whom I have a close relationship with but would never agree with on most things in politics—who are hurting, and hurting badly. For the other side—and I know, because I've read this book, seen this movie and lived this—this is a shocking time. The worst part about this for the other side, with the greatest respect, is that they will not recover from this, because there is so much hatred and backstabbing and sniping going on.

I want to spend just one minute—I really don't want to waste oxygen on this, but unfortunately I have to—on that appalling contribution from Senator Hanson, while our farmers are out there doing it darn tough. I know, because for 13 years I have been on the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee and for over 10 years I have chaired the committee, and I have worked with some of the best that the other side of parliament can put up, and some of the best on this side. Richard, my old mate from Tassie—I'm saying it as it is, fair dinkum—you are fair dinkum about farming people, as are Senators Williams and O'Sullivan, from the other side, and former senator Bill Heffernan. How can Senator Hanson slap the Labor Party and bring farmers into it? In her two years in this chamber, she has never once attended one single hearing of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee. She has never come to any of our regular meetings at 8 am on Wednesday mornings. She has never attended hearings of the references and legislation committees to contribute anything worthwhile on how she could help our farmers, whether they're battling through drought, through poor prices or through biosecurity issues. What a disgraceful episode from that senator! I don't wish to even mention her name in the time I have left or, in fact, in the rest of the time I'm here in the Senate, hopefully.

But let's go back to where we are at this stage. The saddest part here—I hate to say this there—is that there is not unity. A government was elected. A government was thrown out, and in came another government. I said to a few of my Nat and Liberal mates—and I will not mention who they are—up in Roma one day back in January 2015: 'My goodness me! The sniping has started on your Prime Minister. Didn't you see what it did to the Labor Party when we went through that shocking period?'

There are marginal seat holders out there, and I'd like to see the marginal seat holders lose their positions to Labor people through an election. Make no mistake about that. That's what we do. But we've seen how hardworking backbenchers who put their lives on hold for three years are treated the way they're treated, usually by ex-ministers—I don't have to mention the names of Mr Abbott and others—who are normally in safe seats or holding the No. 1 position on the Senate ticket and still have another four years to go. They spend two or three years undermining their mates.

So I have a different tack there. I say it from the heart: the best thing we can do, the best thing that can come out of this—unfortunately for some of the really good people on the other side—is an election. The Australian people do not deserve this. This is so embarrassing, and it's humbling to hear Senator Reynolds's contribution, because, Senator Reynolds, I know how you and a lot of your mates feel. The best thing that can be done now by whoever leads the dysfunctional coalition government in the next 24 hours or so is to call an election. That is the most humane thing they can do and the most decent thing they can do, because it will not be resolved. This will not be patched. There are friendships that will be destroyed for life. There is no going back. We've seen it and heard it, and it's personal. That is the best thing that can be done by the leader, the incoming Prime Minister, who will not have the full support of the party room. There'll be a lot of speeches, because those poor buggers over there will have to make those speeches to try to get the unity back. But they are going to have to do the decent thing: get in the Comcar, head to Yarralumla, approach the Governor-General, call an election and let the Australian people decide. This has been 10 years. I didn't think it could get worse after 2010. My God, it has!