Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I'm quite disappointed, particularly with Labor, for not supporting this. You say that Dennis Richardson has recommended against this and therefore you're not going to support it. Let me tell you, Dennis Richardson has also suggested that the PJCIS not look into operational matters, but you've got a bill in place that suggests that ought to happen. And I support that. It's just duplicitous. You stand up and say, 'We are sympathetic to the view,' but this is not my view; this is the view of the monitor. It's the persistent view of the monitor. In fact, the Law Council basically started off with this recommendation, because they could see problems with it. And again we see the Labor Party standing up and saying, 'We're not going to support this, because it's going to go back to the other place, they won't support it there and then it will have to come back.' You know what? When it comes back we'll reject it. If the government really care about national security, they'll end up supporting the motion. It's that classic game that the Liberal Party play with the Labor Party: it is called chicken, and Labor always swerves. It just shows you exactly what not being a strong opposition is all about.

I think you're probably going to get elected, but it's not going to be through your strength; it's going to be because, on the other side of the chamber, things are just so much worse. And that may well be your strategy. But the Labor Party ought to stand up and recognise this. You say you're sympathetic to it. It is a recommendation of the monitor himself. It's just very disappointing. That's all I can say.