David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I withdraw. We think that maybe Labor is slightly less woeful and despicable than the coalition when it comes to dealing with people seeking asylum, but then Labor can always surprise us. No matter how far the coalition goes to the right on refugees and asylum seekers, no matter how far they drag Labor to the right, Labor always seems willing to match them. But today we actually see Labor trying to outflank the coalition on cruelty and to go even further to the right than the coalition ever conceived of doing. That's what this bill is. This is Labor engaged in a process of trying to outflank the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, on cruelty to asylum seekers. I've got to tell you, that's a race Labor can never win, because the coalition will always be willing to go one further offensive step beyond that. So this sham inquiry that you're agreeing to for two hours tonight, during Senator Rice's valedictory speech, as disrespectful as that is—be disrespectful to senators, by all means—is disrespectful to the rule of law.