Senator CARR (Victoria—Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) (14:52): Thank you, Senator Stephens, for that question; I know of your longstanding interest in the steel industry. What we have seen is overblown, wild rhetoric— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Carr, resume your seat. While there is debate across the chamber I will not ask the minister to proceed. Senator CARR: What we have heard is wild and overblown rhetoric by Liberal senators on these questions. What we saw yesterday and today was that 19 Liberal senators had the opportunity to argue the case in favour of blue-collar workers, in favour of steelworkers—and what did they do? They turned their backs on blue-collar workers; they turned their backs on the steel industry. They had 19 opportunities, but what we saw was the fraudulence and hypocrisy of the position advanced by the Liberal Party, to the point where the Liberal Party has turned its back on a $300 million support package for high-quality sustainable jobs in the steel industry. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: When there is silence we will proceed. Senator CARR: Thank you, Mr President. In recent times we have heard comments about dumping, we have heard comments about free trade agreements, we have heard comments about the IMF. What we have seen is the Liberal Party trying, in a very cynical manner, to run a very populist line on economic policy. We know that they are a party of nostalgia, a party that looks back to the old days. However, I would never, ever have thought they would adopt the policies of Georges Marchais, who was the French Communist Party leader in 1974—but that is exactly the position they are adopting. They are opposed to international engagement. They are opposed to assisting working people. They are opposed to actually doing anything to sustain jobs in this country. What they want to do is claim a commitment to working people, but they leave that commitment— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Carr, just resume your seat. When there is silence I will ask the minister to proceed. Senator CARR: It has been put to me that I misrepresented the Communist Party of France. I think what we have got is a situation where the commitment to working people is left on the hook, along with the fluoro vest, when you walk out the door and out of camera shot. The commitments of the Liberal Party, as we all know, are complete frauds. (Time expired)