Senator JOYCE (Queensland) (3.07 p.m.)—Isn’t it amazing where the Labor Party is headed—it is the ‘Days of our Lives’ commentary; that is where they have gone. They are now talking about the argumentum ad hominem of personal politics because they are completely and utterly lacking policy depth after their housing fiasco. The Labor Party’s statement yesterday was that their view for Australia is that we would be renters in public housing estates. The conservative side of politics believes in this ‘amazing new concept’ that you should own your home. What the Labor Party came up with in its place is the position of giving a tax break and incentive break to big business and big unions over the individual mum and dad, who would prefer that the money went into their own bank account to pay for their housing loan so that they could then put their heads on the pillow where they live.

The opposition are surprised that there is more than one person in the coalition who wants to be Prime Minister. I can tell you that there are quite a number of people in the coalition who would like to be Prime Minister because it is a team of talent, and talent always aspires to lead. We can look at Costello and at Downer, but let us talk about the Labor team. Maybe Garrett is an aspirant; Prime Minister Garrett—now that would be an interesting day for Australia—or Prime Minister Swan. What a beacon of leadership Swan is! We could have some of the others that you do not even hear of—Fergusons I and II. It is like B1 and B2. I know they are down there but you never hear from them. They do not really matter.

Interjection
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT—Order! Senator Joyce, if you are referring to people in the other place, you refer to them by their correct titles.

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Senator JOYCE—Sorry. Ferguson and Ferguson. Fergusons I and II.

Interjection
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT—Order! You are to refer to them by their correct titles.

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Senator JOYCE—Okay. Well let us take some others—there is Fitzgibbon. Now these people are a wealth of talent! They are the prospective leaders of our nation. Prime Minister Gillard—

Interjection
Senator George Campbell—I rise on a point of order, Mr Deputy President. You just admonished Senator Joyce for the way in which he was addressing members of other chamber and he has totally ignored your ruling. Could I ask you to explain to him exactly what you mean when you say to address them by their proper title? Maybe he will then get it.

Interjection
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT—The point of order is well made. Senator Joyce, I have pulled you up already. The people in the other place are due their correct title, unless you are putting their ministerial title behind them. You should observe the protocol of this place. You have been here long enough now to know it.

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Senator JOYCE—I acknowledge your admonishment and I shall refer to Ms Gillard under her proper title. It is very important that Australians recognise that Ms Gillard may be their next Prime Minister. I am glad that we are talking about the wealth of talent. The opposition talk about a civil war. Last night, apparently, I was at a civil war; it was called a birthday party, and I spoke to the Treasurer and the Prime Minister, who were talking to each other. They seemed quite civil. There were no blows. Everyone was having a pretty good time.

The Labor Party is harking back into prehistory to come up with the astounding proposition that there are a number of people who want and aspire to being the Prime Minister of this nation in a champion team, which the coalition is. It is a champion team that has delivered the greatest flow of wealth to the individual in recent history. It is a champion team that has given people the capacity to be the greater benefactors of wealth in our nation. I look forward to the day that we will have a Prime Minister Costello, because if we do not have a Prime Minister Costello we will probably end up with Ms Gillard as Prime Minister.

Mr Garrett would be an interesting concept for the environment minister—the man who is more compromise than compromise. More comprise than the Vichy French in the positions that he has changed. He has changed every position he has ever had. I think he is about to maybe regrow some hair because every other position that Mr Garrett has ever stood for has been completely put aside. This leads us to the question of the Labor Left, that once noble body of people who raged against the system and stood up for the rights of the Left. They have been completely and utterly worked over. They are the complete and utter doormats of the Labor Right. They are just there to make up the numbers. At times when they wake up and listen to their fearless leader, Kevin07, as he calls himself, they must wonder what party they are in. The Labor Left has to wake up and say: ‘Oh, now we’re are believing in uranium mining. We’re believing in terrorism laws. We believe in the Indigenous plan. We believe in the coalition’s economic policy.’ It is amazing that a lot of them stay there. They are great advocates. Come on over! It is only a short walk. The question is: when is the Labor Left actually going to stand up and grow some courage? (Time expired)