Senator MCGRATH (Queensland—Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) (17:44): What we're debating here today is a matter of public importance. I'll read it out to those who are listening at home on the wireless. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator O'Sullivan ): Senator McGrath, I'll just get you to pause. Colleagues, if you're not participating in the discussion can you either leave or sit quietly so I can hear the good senator speak. Senator MCGRATH: Thank you. I'm not surprised that Labor senators are chattering like chooks in the henhouse, because they might learn something. They might learn the damage that the Labor Party have done to Australia. What we're debating here today is that hard-working households, families and small businesses are suffering under an Albanese Labor government, and things will only get worse under an Albanese‑Bandt minority government. So come on down, spinner! You've got to realise that when you go into coalition, which Labor and the Greens could do after the election—obviously, I think Peter Dutton will be Prime Minister and David Littleproud will be Deputy Prime Minister—you've got to work out who is going to take the portfolios. We know that Adam Bandt is going to be Deputy Prime Minister. The question is—I'm sorry, Greens senators over there; I'm sure that some of you might have the ability to touch ministerial leather. Of course, we could have Senator McKim being minister for education, because he did such a bang-on job when he was minister for education in Tasmania and was busily closing schools. Of course, we've got some other noted senators, such as Senator Faruqi. She could be the minister for planning— Senator Hughes: Housing development? Senator MCGRATH: Or development! I think she would do a good job. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order, Senator McGrath. Senator Allman-Payne on a point of order? Senator Allman-Payne: I realise I'm a bit slow to my feet, but I think the comments in relation to Senator McKim were impugning his character and I would ask that Senator McGrath withdraw. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I don't believe that they were, but the senator may wish to assist the chamber. Senator MCGRATH: Actually, Acting Deputy President, I'm not going to. I wasn't impugning his character. I actually said he possibly could be education minister based on his track record in Tasmania, which is where he did propose the closure of lots of schools. I don't think that's impugning someone's character; I think that's setting the facts on the record. But, to go back to Senator Faruqi and her well-known love of koalas and natural bushland, I think perhaps Senator Faruqi could be the minister for bush and koalas. Having said that, it's actually quite serious here, because the Albanese Labor government have absolutely destroyed Australians economically. Australians are living in a cost-of-living crisis caused by this Labor Party government. It's been caused by a weak Prime Minister who's unable to make decisions. Let's face it, he went to North Queensland last week. He left parliament early and went to North Queensland. As a Queensland senator, I am pleased that the Prime Minister of this country visited Townsville and the flood centres, where they've been absolutely destroyed by the floods, but this Labor Party Prime Minister left North Queensland early to attend a Labor Party fundraiser in Brisbane. This Labor Party Prime Minister spent more time attending Labor Party events in Brisbane, including a fundraiser, than he did meeting with victims of the floods in Ingham and Townsville. That shows you the mentality and the character of the Prime Minister of this country. But, then, this is a prime minister who's clearly not trusted by the security services of this country. This is a prime minister who's not trusted by the Labor Premier of New South Wales. This country came very close to a mass casualty event. A caravan full of explosives was to be placed outside either a Jewish synagogue or a Jewish church, yet this Prime Minister cannot tell Australians if he was told or when he was told. So what is the use of this Prime Minister? There is no use of this Prime Minister but to show to the Australian people the danger of a Labor government and the extreme danger of a Labor-Greens government. We know that the Labor Party will do a preference deal with the Greens party—the Greens party, who are a racist, antisemitic party. This is a Greens party who refuse to accept the situation that is happening in the Middle East, a Greens party who are apologists for what has happened over there and a Greens party who do not acknowledge the antisemitism that has grown in Australia because of some of the actions of Greens politicians. So you can just imagine what would happen to this country with a minority Labor-Greens government. You would have people who dislike modern Australia trying to govern modern Australia. Vote LNP! Senator Shoebridge: You're a proven racist. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I beg your pardon, Senator Shoebridge. You can withdraw, please. Senator Shoebridge: Withdraw—given the findings against him? He was sacked by the UK Prime Minister for being that. He was literally sacked for that reason. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Shoebridge, I'm not entering into a debate with you. I'm asking you to withdraw. Senator Shoebridge: I withdraw. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you.