Senator SMITH (Western Australia) (15:18): I also rise to take note of answers given by Senator Conroy today to questions asked by Senator Abetz and Senator Birmingham. There is an atmosphere of tension and suspension in this building today. Everyone is keenly watching and waiting, eager to see which will be the first to go: Senator Conroy's media reforms or the Prime Minister's position as Labor leader. Already we have heard about dissension in the ranks. Indeed, by her own admission Senator Polley just said that there were more important issues than this: a clear defiance of the government's legislative priorities. We heard it first in this place, just a few moments ago. When the book is finally closed on this sorry, shambolic Labor government, the period from December 2007 to September 2013 will not be remembered as a golden era for public policy making in our country. The list of abandoned schemes and embarrassments grows ever longer, yet the list of genuine achievement remains woefully short. The media reforms are just the latest effusion from a government that first lost its way, then lost its majority, then lost its values and has now lost its mind. This proposal has broad ramifications for the operation of our media and, I would argue, disturbing ramifications for the operation of our democracy. Yet when it comes to the legislation, this government is behaving as though we are dealing with some minor, non-controversial technical legislation and refusing to allow anything resembling adequate scrutiny of the legislation by this parliament. The Prime Minister and Senator Conroy are treating this parliament with Olympian disdain. As we have learned, it is not just the parliament the minister is treating with contempt; we now know that this legislation was not properly examined by the cabinet, we know that the media companies were not consulted in the preparation of the legislation and we know that the government has thus far been unable to point to a single clear example of the problem in the media it claims as a rationale for this legislation. I think it is important to reflect on the comments sent to senators just in the last few hours by the chief executive of News Limited, Mr Kim Williams. They are not a secret—they were sent to all senators in the last few hours. Mr Williams, in a letter to the minister, Senator Conroy, says: The Bills constitute bad law. … … … Some of the problems in the Bills include the fact that they apply retrospectively, key legal concepts remain undefined, long established legal principles have been trampled on and the Bills establishing the PIMA make it clear that the PIMA's decisions cannot be repealed. It is also clear that the PIMA may release confidential information to you and your successors with no explanation. So the chief executive of News Limited has said publicly that these bills constitute bad law. I spoke last week about the Orwellian overtones of the government's proposals in this legislation. Those of you who have read 1984 will understand that the concept of doublethink is central to that novel. George Orwell defined doublethink as being able to tell deliberate lies— Senator Farrell: You wouldn't know a communist if you fell over one. Senator SMITH: You might be interested in this. George Orwell defined doublethink as being able to tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, and to forget any fact that has become inconvenient. I cannot be certain that the minister genuinely believes in anything he is saying, of course, but he has certainly got the part about forgetting inconvenient facts down to a fine art. We have seen doublethink and doublespeak from this government time and time again. In relation to these proposals, we have had Minister Conroy prattling that these reforms are somehow designed to protect diversity. Apparently, the suppression of views that this government finds objectionable will somehow lead to improved diversity in our media. This is actually the crux of the government's thinking: fewer voices means more diversity. That kind of logic sits nicely with the party slogans on the Ministry of Truth's walls in 1984: War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Perhaps the slogan from the Ministry of Truth that really appeals to this minister and this government is the third one: Ignorance is strength. That would certainly explain the manner in which Senator Conroy is treating his cabinet and caucus colleagues in relation to this significant matter. It would explain the way the government is treating this parliament, and through it, the Australian people. (Time expired)