Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

It is my solemn duty to report to the chamber yet another terrible week for the once proud National Party. They are the unhappy campers of Australian politics. For years we've endured the musical chairs of the National Party leadership, and we thought it had finally been resolved, but this week they have shown they are still at it, this time over Inland Rail. This week we've had day after day of National Party leaks and hit jobs on each other, starting with the Weekend Australian, where we saw a leaked text message from David Littleproud, the Deputy Leader of the National Party, to his leader, Barnaby Joyce, saying:

The Millmerran guys you spoke to on Friday would have preferred you either told them on Friday this or told them before a public statement from you.

It has gone on as the week has gone on. They hate each other. They can't focus on Australia. We are—