Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of answers given by ministers to questions without notice asked by coalition senators today.

Today we saw the early, fresh signs of hubris on the part of the government, and we saw it in two forms. We saw the dismissive nature in which Senator Watt pushed aside legitimate questions from Senator McKenzie on questions that are still unanswered on the government's decision to deny Qatar Airways increased access to Australia, the benefits of which would have come to Australian aviation consumers, to freight users and to many, many others.

Then, in the last question, we saw Senator Farrell, the Minister for Trade, brush aside fresh revelations with regard to the government's decision to appoint its factionally preferred candidate for a very senior diplomatic and trade post in San Francisco—their preferred factional candidate being former Senator Chris Ketter—over a professional diplomat, someone schooled and skilled in trade matters, who was in fact the preferred candidate through a merit process. Wow!

After what we saw over the weekend, when Australians overwhelmingly said that the government's preferred model with regard to constitutional recognition was wrong—and not just a little bit wrong; it was very, very wrong—the government started the week trying to say to Australians, 'We have learnt our lesson and we are going to focus on some other issues, like the cost of living.' But, by Thursday afternoon, they are wearing the cloak of hubris—not shyly, not hiding it in the cupboard; they are wearing it for the whole Australian Senate to see.

Today we saw Senator Watt's decision to brush away legitimate concerns about his ability to bring to the Senate estimates process next week answers to questions that officials refused to bring during the Qatar Senate inquiry process, and we saw Senator Farrell try to brush aside legitimate queries about proper due process with regard to the appointment of a senior trade position, representing Australia's interests overseas. Mark this date: the beginning of Labor's decision to wash away the concerns of electors with regard to cost-of-living issues and the deterioration of the economy. Instead, they are wearing the cloak of hubris.

Over the last few weeks, there have been some very important economic revelations that should be the focus of the government's attention now. Australians are already living with escalated cost-of-living challenges—interest rate rises and inflation pressures. While the country was thinking about its position on Labor's preferred model for constitutional recognition of First Australians, the OECD was saying that Australia is about to experience a second consecutive downgrade with regard to economic growth. In addition, the OECD is saying that inflationary pressures are likely to be persistent in the Australian economy.

The Reserve Bank of Australia, in detailing its reasons for not increasing the cash rate on this occasion, just recently, has given Australians are very serious warning, and that is that, because the government has not tackled inflation in our country, the Labor Party's Christmas gift to Australian families is likely to be another interest rate rise in November. Their Christmas gift to Australian families is likely to be another interest rate rise in November. The RBA has said 'members noted that inflation remained well above target and was expected to do so for some time. Services price inflation remained sticky, and fuel prices were adding to headline inflation. At the same time, members observed that the labour market had reached a turning point and output growth had slowed'. The country is getting into perilous economic times and today we saw Labor's hubris.