Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

In the one or two minutes left I will just reflect on the debate that has transpired tonight. We know there's a dodgy deal. We're seeing it play out here. We've had a bit of a confession from the Australian Greens about what's been going on over the last little while, when none of us knew what was happening. We should have known, and we'll know for next time exactly where we're going to end up.

Two words from Senator Hanson-Young ring in my ears: 'no more'. There'll be no more new gas to bring down prices, no more support for households struggling with the cost of living, no more jobs for people in the regional communities where many of these projects exist. Certainly, there'll be no more answers to the questions that have been asked. That's not because the minister can't answer them or doesn't want to. There are no answers to these questions. Senator McAllister is, I think, one of the finest ministers in this place, and I really do look forward to seeing her elevated to the cabinet, because I think there is some room for improvement there, but there are no answers to the questions we're asking. Consultation? Regulatory impact statement? Any impact on the cost of living? No answer, no answer, no answer. This is what happens when, behind closed doors, under the cover of darkness, in smoke-filled rooms—whatever analogy you want to come up with—you find Labor and the Greens doing dodgy deals. Their smiles get bigger the worse this is for Australian households and the economy. Senator McKim's smile couldn't be bigger.

So, Australia, watch out. It's going to be a dark, dark Christmas, with the cost of living going through the roof. They are as happy as they can be because they got their deal. It is a bad day for Australians. But this is what we have come to expect in this brave new world of Labor-Green government—