David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator McCarthy for moving this motion. There is no doubt that in the current environment any death relating to COVID-19 is tragic and that older Australians are the most vulnerable to its impacts. In this debate, we mustn't forget the tragic losses that families, friends and loved ones are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, for the sixth time in this sitting period, the Australian Labor Party have come into this chamber and set up a debate that seeks to shift blame away from their own failings in aged-care policy. For the sixth time this sitting period, the Australian Labor Party have come into this chamber and tried to protect their Victorian mates from accountability for their systemic failings. Is this just another union protection racket for the Victorian Labor Party? There have been failings in quarantine that have seen community transmission spread right across the state and force the most severe lockdown conditions in Australia and failings in governance that have seen the wrong departments running the hotel quarantine, the refusal of Australian Defence Force resources and the catastrophic underresourcing of contact tracing.

For the sixth time this sitting period, the Australian Labor Party have come into this chamber and ignored the facts from the government by continuing to argue there was no plan in place. I'm very pleased to say that on 24 August the Liberal Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, provided a detailed response to the Leader of the Opposition about the plan. Those opposite in this chamber have clearly not followed what has already been said in the other place. As such, for the benefit of those opposite, I would like to seek leave to table the Prime Minister's answers.

Leave not granted.

I expected that, because they don't want to listen to the answers. It is clear that those opposite do not want to listen to facts. They do not care about the facts or good policy. For those opposite, this is about politics, grandstanding and trying to get a news grab. Well, shame on you.

I'll tell you what, on this side of the chamber we do care about facts. We do care about the truth, and no matter how often the Labor Party want to deny the existence of a plan, the evidence is clear.

An opposition senator interjecting—

Give me leave to table it, Senator. I've got it right here for you. You can read it any time. I'll drop it around to your office. There was always a plan, and you know it. The fact that you won't give me leave just proves it.