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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-07-06 Daily Xml
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Federal Election

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (15:24): What we know, and what all of Australia knows, is that there was an election on the weekend and I want to make a few observations and comments regarding this election. As you would have expected, sir, I worked on the Hindmarsh campaign for the re-election of the former excellent member and my good friend Steve Georganas. This seat remains neck and neck.

First and foremost, what I want to do is thank and congratulate the army of volunteers who worked on Steve's campaign, but I also want to extend my gratitude and congratulations to all those who worked on the campaigns in Port Adelaide, Kingston—of course, Amanda Rishworth has made that a fortress—Adelaide, Makin and Wakefield and the various other seats across Adelaide and South Australia.

Mr Bell: Sturt?

The Hon. P. CAICA: All the other seats, I said. I also want to congratulate all our candidates on their outstanding efforts. Secondly, I want to say that if I never live through another 55-day double dissolution campaign I will die happier than would otherwise be the case. I get why the PM wanted a double dissolution. I did not quite get why he wanted a 55-day campaign. Of course, the PM knows why he wanted both of these things and what he and his party believed would be the likely outcome from this campaign. Never have I seen what a PM and party believed was going to happen be so far off the mark.

What he promised for Australia, amongst jobs and growth, was a stable, unified and coherent government and, of course, a workable Senate. What he delivered could not be further removed from what he promised. What we have witnessed over the 55 days of the campaign, as well as leading into this campaign, actually, and since the polls have closed, has been the most petulant performance I have ever seen from a prime minister who has staked his future on this very campaign.

We also witnessed the most bizarre election night speech from a PM—petulant, arrogant and totally lacking in judgement. He might always believe he is the smartest person in any room but, on Saturday night at the Wentworth, he was the dumbest or, at the very least, as dumb as those who advised him to make that speech, advised him to undertake a 55-day campaign, advised him how to correct the imbalances of the Senate and advised him not to engage properly with real and everyday Australians.

Like those who advised him, the PM should just ride off into the sunset and forget about his leadership aspirations because, if he does not fall on his sword, there is enough evidence since Saturday night that those in his party are going to take the sword to him. He is now a lame-duck leader whose days, I think, are numbered. I want to turn my attention now to someone at the other end of the spectrum that the PM finds himself on and that is Bill Shorten.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: I must say that on Saturday—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: I must say, Madam Deputy Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am on my feet. Stop the clock, please.

An honourable member: We were just getting into it!

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, order! I am not going to allow members to defy the standing orders because I know there are many here who do not wish that to be the norm so that, when they have a turn to speak, they will be heard. I remind them of both 142 and 131 and my ability to arrest you if you defy me. Let's have a go at that today if you want to keep going any further.

Mr Bell: In your office, Madam Deputy Speaker, or—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is a dungeon you don't know about yet; you haven't been here long enough.

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! We have two more speakers and I want to hear them in silence. Member for Colton.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Thank you, ma'am. I think I had said something about Bill Shorten being at the opposite end of the spectrum than where the PM finds himself. I must say that, on Saturday morning, I did not even consider that we would find ourselves on Sunday morning in the position that we did. We owe a lot of this to the Malcolm factor, but we owe a lot more to Bill Shorten, his leadership team, our candidates, our party officers and our army of volunteers. On any fair assessment, it was an excellently run campaign by Labor, and the results have shown this to be true. I congratulate all who were involved in the campaign.

We know it is probable that the Coalition will be in a better position to attempt to form government, but make no mistake: Labor is not out of the mix. I say this because it is my view that the very nature of the PM might make it more difficult for some to agree to support him in forming government. He is certainly no Shorten when it comes to negotiation. Time will tell.

Mr Whetstone: It's coming to Elder.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Interestingly, after Saturday night where the PM's—

Mr Tarzia: And Port Pirie.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Hartley will not get his turn to have a grievance if he is not careful.

The Hon. P. CAICA: —petulant performance tried to sheet blame for the result onto others, I note that since this morning (no doubt on the advice of others) the PM is taking responsibility and stating that it was all his fault. I and the people of Australia already knew this to be the case, but I question the genuineness of the PM's statements, given his previous comments on a lot of issues, including climate change, price on carbon, and marriage equality, amongst the many other areas of policy where his previously stated positions have changed.

A greater number of Australians now know that in the PM we have a person who does not say what he means or mean what he says. We have a hollow man for PM.

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I cannot protect you from the other side because you have all disrespected the standing orders. They can go their hardest if you are not going to observe them.

Mr TARZIA: I promise to be impeccably behaved.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: You want it to be that way now because you are speaking, but no-one needs to observe standing orders just because you are on your feet. Member for Hartley.

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