Senator LAMBIE (Tasmania) (17:37): I am encouraged by the fact that ordinary Australians are now just starting to understand how thoroughly corrupt politics in Australia has become. I recently met the Prime Minister and when I raised the issue of establishing a federal commission against corruption, a federal ICAC, he dismissed the idea by trying to tell me that a federal ICAC was not warranted because there were not many opportunities in federal politics, compared with state politics, for corruption to occur. I almost believed that nice story from our PM—and I mean who wouldn't? As I looked deeply in the PM's eyes, he said with that low deep voice with that nice smile repeat after me : 'There's no corruption in federal politics—only in state politics. There's no corruption in federal politics—only in state politics. I was left with that fuzzywuzzy feeling of hope for a few days after my meeting with the PM that 'there's no corruption in federal politics— only in state politics.' And then—what do you know?—Veterans Affairs Minister Stuart Roberts was forced to resign; we found out about the rich Chinese businessman having drinks with Liberal Party members and the $10,000 watches that were given out as gifts. The same sort of thing happened after I wrote to former Liberal PM Abbott asking him effectively whether any people associated with the Liberal Party and mentioned in the Heydon Royal Commission secret reports were corrupt. And PM Tony Abbott wrote back to me, essentially saying that no-one in the Liberal Party was corrupt; and then seven days later we found out the Liberal Party President in Victoria had defrauded their members to the tune of about $1.5 million. Senator Jacinta Collins: And that was the second time! Senator LAMBIE: The Liberal Party of Australia is treating the people like fools on a whole range of issues, including corruption. They think that, because we did not go to their private clubs and do not wear the same school ties, we are not qualified—that we are idiots to be exploited, to be stolen from, spoken down to and ignored. I may not have the same qualifications that Senator Cash has, but I have every right to be in this place and I can spot and smell corruption a mile off and the stench which comes from those opposite, as Kenny would say, outlasts religion. It is a well-known fact that the Liberals have taken millions of dollars from people closely connected with the Chinese communist government in election funding. The sale of iconic Tasmanian Dairy Company VDL to the Chinese company linked to the Chinese government shows a corrupt and negligent government process. When it comes to offshore corruption, the Liberal government have made the FIRB blind. Everyone knows after an ABC Four Corners report that our FIRB has failed to do its job properly and turns a blind eye to corrupt money. I am calling on Labor to act in a principled manner and preference independents, including the JLN, before the Greens. That way, Labor, you will not only be talking the talk, you will finally be walking the walk. Question agreed to.