Andrew Laming (Bowman, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Tonight will be remembered as a day of shame, a day of dishonour, for the Australian Labor Party, when they evacuated the scene on this bill, the Defence Force Retirement Benefits Legislation Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2014. It has history. The coalition fought for this. Ever since John Howard introduced fair indexation for pensioners, the momentum began—to look after our veterans. Consistently, the coalition has argued for this. We put it to the Australian people in 2009 and 2010. It was defeated on 16 June 2011—a shabby display from the Labor government.

And tonight, none but three have come down to this chamber to defend their actions. Tonight I was going to criticise those who spoke on the Labor side, but they were the ones who had the courage. Tonight I want to read into Hansard a dishonour roll of shame: those Australian Labor Party members who were not here, those who did not show, and those who did not stand up for their veteran communities.

Let us start with the no-show: Sharon Bird, member for Cunningham, who will be recorded in Hansardand found, for eternity, by searching Hansardas not showing up tonight. Yes, her name does now appear in Hansard under this bill, for all of her voters to see. The did-not-attend was Anna Burke. The did-not-arrive was Terri Butler, member for Griffith. The sick-leave was Jim Chalmers, member for Rankin. The special-leave: Nick Champion, member for Wakefield. Someone got a pairing, perhaps! There was Lisa Chesters from Bendigo. We have Sharon Claydon, on tour somewhere; Julie Collins—classified information; we don't know where the member for Franklin is—

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