Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Look at them, Mr Acting Deputy President. Here they are, uniting us, bringing us all together—binding our wounds, as President Lincoln said in his second inaugural speech! You're binding our wounds, are you? No, you're playing politics—base politics. You're not seeking to unite us; you're seeking to divide us with this motion. We would expect better of you, Senator Keneally, as someone who was a premier of the great state of New South Wales. You are seeking to divide us and conflating our Prime Minister with despicable extremists. You should know better. Senator Faruqi, please reflect on the fact that members of the government don't fit your caricature—

Honourable senators interjecting—

We're uniting, everyone, are we? We're uniting! Listen to it. Senator Keneally, is this what you wanted? Of course it's what you wanted, because you wanted to divide. You didn't seek to exercise good faith in terms of your assessment of our Prime Minister. You sought to use this for partisan political processes.

You're uniting us, are you, Senator Thorpe?