Sam McMahon (NT, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have the utmost respect for Senator Kitching and Senator Polley. They are fine people. They are fine senators. I enjoy conversation with them. But obviously you have been set up to absolutely fail today and make a mockery of the system. There were two seconds of video—and that's the most important thing you can talk about today! It's absolutely disgraceful. I echo the sentiments of my colleague Senator Paterson. We've had some really important topics brought up today. We've had some important questions. We've addressed issues of national importance. And the very best thing Labor can come up with is two seconds of video! It's absolutely disgraceful and shameful. Have you got nothing else to think about? Have you got nothing else you can discuss? Is there nothing more important today than two seconds of video?

Under Australian law, an authorisation line is required on any material produced by a member or senator. The two seconds of video that those opposite referred to included the following information: 'Authorised by S Morrison, Liberal Party Canberra.' Senators on the other side: that is the Prime Minister of Australia, not 'Scotty from marketing'. Show a little bit of respect. Any multimedia material created that referred to ADF assistance to the bushfire response was designed to inform the community about what the Commonwealth government was doing. Many members of the community were concerned about what the ADF was or was not doing and what they should or should not be doing. This created concern and confusion in the community.

It was absolutely the correct thing to do—the government informing the community of how the ADF was being used, what they were contributing and what they were doing. It was simply to be as helpful as we could possibly be in the state of panic, fear, confusion and anxiety, with people wanting to know how and what the ADF was contributing. We needed to show people what resources we were getting, and the support, and how that was being used. Yet those opposite pick two seconds out of that reassurance from the government to people in affected areas—and that is your contribution to allaying the fears of people in bushfire affected areas!

I have the greatest respect for the ADF and what they do. They do many fine things in my territory, the Northern Territory. We have a large military presence. I have large numbers of constituents in the ADF in the Northern Territory, and I'm quite close friends with many of them. They're very proud of what they do, they're very proud of what the ADF does, and they're very proud of what their fellow members of the ADF did during the height of the bushfire crisis. Their concern is what contribution they and their fellow members can make, and their concern is for their fellow members that are affected by the bushfires. Not one of them has contacted me and said that they are concerned about two seconds of video. Not one of them.

Again, I am horrified that all of this good work done by the ADF and their families, the sacrifices that they have made and the pride with which they have conducted themselves throughout this crisis, is being absolutely belittled by those on the other side of the chamber. Have some respect for what our defence forces do. Back them up. And, if you can't show them support, at least don't try and criticise and tear down what they and the government are doing. (Time expired)