Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, the motion that has been moved by Senator Roberts is actually a very, very serious motion. On day 5 of the actual sittings of the parliament—not counting the ceremonial sitting that we had on Tuesday—a motion has already been moved in relation to a minister that clearly states that comments have been made and responses have been provided which appear to have misled the Senate, as detailed in Senator Roberts's letter, hand-delivered to the minister on Friday 29 July. I too have had to write to the minister in a similar vein in terms of allegations of misleading the Senate. Senator McKenzie has also written to the minister. One might say there is a pattern of behaviour here, when the minister is asked a question.

I would rather the minister take a question on notice, to be honest with you, and actually provide the chamber with the correct answer. But, what we saw today, in the response to this chamber by Minister Watt to Senator McKenzie's address and to Senator Malcolm Roberts, is excuse after excuse after excuse. It's one thing to make excuses, but, when you then have to move to personal attacks, again I go to that very well-known former Prime Minister who used to say words to the effect of, 'Once they have to attack me personally, I know I've won the policy debate.'