Senator BOB BROWN (Tasmania—Leader of the Australian Greens) (15:24): I need to rise to give an analysis of what the nasty invective coming from the opposition is about. It is about the pompous and arrogant view of being born to rule which resides on the opposition benches. Senator Brandis: Go away, Bob. There's not one person in this chamber who respects you. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order on my left! Senator BOB BROWN: You see, Deputy President, that immediately we get shouted down. We listened to the members of the opposition quietly, in accordance with standing orders, but immediately I get up to put a point of view contrary to theirs they try to shout it down, because they are bullies, because they are undisciplined, because they breach and flout the rules repeatedly and because, being conservatives— Senator Brandis: You're the one who closed down the debate on the carbon tax. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Brandis! Senator BOB BROWN: they think they have a right to do that. But they do not. One of the things that is very hard for them to stomach is the fact that this is a democracy and that every senator elected to this place is elected on an equal basis. That includes of course the Greens, whom a member of their side yesterday said should be precluded from being in the Senate. You can see where the extension of that thinking would be if we did not have the protection of the Constitution, which Australians have shown over the last century they are very committed to because it does stop the overboil of the sort of mentality we are seeing on the other side. Senator Brandis interjecting— Senator BOB BROWN: Not being able to express their will to get rid of the Greens, who now are supported by a 1.7 million voter base in this country, the personal diatribe— Senator Brandis: Tell us about the $1 million donation. Senator BOB BROWN: which we are hearing at the moment through these interjections is to say that the Greens ought not have the generosity and support base of people who believe in what we are doing and who think we are the best of the political thinkers in this country, and that the donation system which has served the Liberals so well over the last century ought to be denied to the Australian Greens. When a generous donor, who likes what the Greens are doing, gives a donation to the Greens which exceeds the donations of people like the coal barons, the mining barons and the corporate bigwigs from the big end of town, who have traditionally supported the Liberals, they cannot stand it. Well, they had better get used to it, because this is the direction of politics in an age— Senator Fifield: What? Massive donations to the Australian Greens? Senator BOB BROWN: where greed is out of control and where green is the alternative. Senator Sherry: A point of order, Deputy President: interjections are disorderly, opposition speakers were heard in silence—there were no interjections, I would point out to you—and I think you should draw to the attention of the opposition that these continual interjections are disorderly. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Sherry. I have been drawing that to the opposition's attention. Before Senator Brown resumes, I will remind senators, in particular on my left, not to interject. Senator Brown, you have the call. Senator BOB BROWN: Thank you, Deputy President, a good ruling. What are we to make of this very below the belt performance which has been going on for months now? It comes out of Senator Abetz's office. It is one of the reasons that politics is in disrepair, as far as conservative politics is concerned, in this country—that is, it concentrates on the individual rather than the issue. I ask: what about Mr Wood's highly celebrated donation of $2 million to the Menzies centre in the last couple of weeks? Why haven't we heard a diatribe about that? I ask: is the opposition wanting to close down on new media? I read in the paper, the same as they do, that apparently Mr Graeme Wood wants to establish an alternative media operation and they are already gunning for it. Is this because they do not believe in diversity or freedom of expression in a country where information is the currency of democracy? They have been on a good thing for a long time, but it is breaking down around them. We are seeing a change in this country, and it is a change for the better. They had better get used to it. They had better get back to a more decent way of operating and take the issues on for what they are, not try to have this sort of nastiness against individuals who are doing this country a good turn.