Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I do not think you should be able to say 'der'. Senator Fierravanti-Wells has just cottoned on to the fact that the Prime Minister and the cabinet have conducted community cabinet meetings all over the country for years—for years. You have just worked out that they are doing this! Now you come in here with this extraordinary level of outrage because the Prime Minister is going out and talking to people who live and work in Western Sydney. Those opposite do this because they are preoccupied with negativity, and they are so caught up in the mud-slinging that they try to score cheap political points. I often listen to what Senator Payne has to say, but unfortunately she has been caught up here today—in her questions and in taking note of answers—in an extreme level of negativity. For those opposite to focus on the Prime Minister's visit in this negative way truly exposes the policy vacuum they have over there.

The Prime Minister visiting a range of electorates, as I have said, is nothing new. To speak to local people about issues is completely normal, and that is what you would expect—and that is what the government has been doing for years. Whilst visiting Western Sydney, I am sure the Prime Minister will have an opportunity to speak about many of the Labor government's policy initiatives that will benefit the people of Western Sydney. So we will not be distracted by the policy void that we find on the other side of the chamber today in the taking note of answers debate. In fact, Senator Fierravanti-Wells talked about—