STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator McGRATH (Queensland) (13:31): In news that should be filed under the same category as the defecation habits of bears in forests or the religion of the Bishop of Rome, Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of this country, has a credibility problem. The Prime Minister promised Australians the most transparent and accountable government in history. But, when it comes to this prime minister, he couldn't lie straight in bed.

So let me list some of his recent deceptions. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Sterle ): Senator McGrath, resume your seat. Minister Ayres, on a point of order?

Senator Ayres: It's the obvious point of order. Senator McGrath knows that's unparliamentary. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Good try, Senator McGrath!

I'd ask you to withdraw that. Senator McGRATH: I withdraw that. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Senator McGRATH: Let me list some of the recent deceptions of the Prime Minister. This week, we discovered that the Prime Minister's local Marrickville golf club was gifted $6 million of taxpayers' money through a Labor infrastructure slush fund. And we now know that Anthony Albanese, as Prime Minister, is an honorary member of that club.

But, when asked about it, the Prime Minister said: I don't have a membership. It's not true. That's deception No. 1.

Then the Prime Minister said: I don't go in there. Well, that's another deception because he's hosted political events there, he's campaigned there and he's publicly described his longstanding relationship with the club. The list goes on.

In July, the Prime Minister refused to confirm whether he attended a fundraising dinner hosted by the son of a Chinese billionaire accused of tax fraud—deception No. 3. In 2025, the Prime Minister said he would attend the Garma Festival every year for as long as he remained Prime Minister. Well, he didn't go there this year—deception No. 4.

On 97 occasions, the Prime Minister said he would reduce power bills by $275—deception No. 5. The Prime Minister said he wouldn't make changes to capital gains tax or negative gearing; he made a lot of changes—deception No. 6. The Prime Minister promised not to introduce an inheritance tax then Labor legislated a tax on widows—disgusting—deception No. 7.

I could be here all day listing the deceptions of the Prime Minister and this government when it comes to the misleading of the Australian people but I only have two minutes. This is chapter 1, more to come.