Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We know that those people on the other side keep coming into this chamber trying to rewrite history. This budget that was brought down by Treasurer Jim Chalmers was a budget that actually assisted Australians. When we talk about the governments of the past, in talking about the cost of living, let's not forget the billion dollars that was gutted out of hospitals by the former government. But, as I said, we have those on the other side who come into this chamber regularly rewriting history, and we've seen that all week, with all the questions to Minister Gallagher and to Senator Wong. But to put into context those on that side, and when we're talking about the alleged assault, it is really important to remember some key issues. Ms Higgins was a Liberal staffer in a Liberal minister's office. So, obviously those people on that side of the chamber knew far more about that allegation, the cover-up, the clean-up.

The assertions that have been made this week in this chamber have really surprised me, because the message that is coming out of this federal parliament to Australian women and to Australians generally is that we have huge issues in this place. That alleged assault, the leaking of private text messages, the politicisation of this entire issue, another allegation yesterday that was withdrawn, and another statement today—I just want to remind people that the Australian people out there are worried about the cost of living. They're worried about interest rates. But they want us in this place to talk about issues that affect them directly. And when there's an issue around an allegation of sexual assault, we've got to remember that that impacts on our communities, on other women who have had that experience, and on those we have been trying to encourage to come forward, with confidence that they are going to be supported and that any personal information is not going to be used for political purposes.

To put this in context, the Prime Minister of the day, when that alleged assault happened and it was made public, the calibre of that prime minister was he had to go home and talk to his wife to get an understanding and to put it into perspective—how would you feel if it was one of your daughters? That is why we had to have the Jenkins report, because it is absolutely astonishing that a man who rises to be prime minister of this great country had no concept of that himself. So there is little wonder that those opposite left a young woman, who made a—