MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE

Senator HODGINS-MAY (Victoria) (17:09): How secretive is this Labor government? I've checked the receipts, and it's really, really ugly. Labor refuses to reckon with fossil fuel lobbyists slipping into closed-door meetings and cutting backroom deals while climate advocates are left out in the cold.

They refuse to open their diaries to tell us who they're meeting with. They refuse to slow the revolving door between government and industry, and they're still pocketing dirty donations from the gambling, fossil fuel and weapons industries. What's the icing on the cake?

The report card published by the Centre for Public Integrity looked like a homework sheet bleeding in red ink. So, no, it's not looking good. No matter how neatly they dress up this behaviour, the stench still follows Labor into every single backroom deal.

Enough of the arrogance, enough of the secrecy—Australians deserve honesty, and we are not buying what you're selling.