الأربعاء، 28 نوفمبر 2012

'More mud' predicted as Federal Parliament wraps up

Updated November 29, 2012 00:45:06

More mudslinging is tipped to take place today as what has been described as a “toxic” parliamentary year wraps up.

In a warm-up to the final parliamentary session, Government frontbencher Craig Emerson and Manager of Opposition Business Christopher Pyne went head-to-head on Lateline in a debate dominated by the Australian Workers Union scandal.

The scandal has dogged Prime Minister Julia Gillard this week, with the Opposition focusing on her history as a lawyer when she provided legal advice to establish the Australian Workers Union (AWU) Workplace Reform Association while working at Slater & Gordon.

Ms Gillard has said she believed the association’s funds would be used for legitimate purposes. Instead it was allegedly used as a slush fund.

Mr Pyne has told Lateline he expects Parliament’s final sitting day will bring more questions from the Coalition to Ms Gillard about the scandal.

“Unfortunately the Prime Minister has not dispelled the doubt because she won’t answer the question in the Parliament,” he said.

Mr Emerson says it is smear.

“The purpose of this is not to get to the bottom of a substantive allegation because they don’t have one, but more generally to smear the Prime Minister,” he said.

But Mr Pyne says Ms Gillard invited questioning three weeks ago.

“The Prime Minister was standing up at the dispatch box and screeching across the chamber ‘If you’ve got a question to ask me, ask me’,” he said.

“So we’ve asked all week questions to her, and she doesn’t answer them.”

Meanwhile, Mr Emerson says it is a shame the final sitting day will involve more mudslinging.

“Normally we have valedictories. We wish each other a happy Christmas,” he said.

“[Instead] we’ll have to go in there with our galoshes, our gumboots, our raincoats because they’re going to come in and tip more mud.”

But Mr Pyne blames the hung Parliament.

“This has been a very toxic Parliament because the Prime Minister didn’t win an election, she won a negotiation,” he said.

Parliamentarians will return next February.

Topics: federal-parliament, parliament, government-and-politics, australia

First posted November 29, 2012 00:39:54

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'More mud' predicted as Federal Parliament wraps up http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-89EKCgBk8MZdE.gif

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