Senator MASON (3:17 PM) —The Queensland Liberal Party is obviously more interesting than even I thought. I do not know any of the details that have been discussed here this afternoon.

Senator Faulkner —You are lucky, aren't you!

Senator MASON —Senator Faulkner, you interject. I certainly do not. I am sure if there has been any wrongdoing, it will be pursued. While some people receive titillation from this, I do not. While we are on the topic of honesty and accountability, one thing that has always annoyed me since I came to this parliament a couple of years ago is that we have the best and the brightest of the Labor Party—the future government—talking about these issues. Senator Ray, Senator Faulkner, Senator Conroy and Senator Hogg and others are, in effect, muckracking. If we are going to talk about truth and untruths and honesty and dishonesty, let us talk about the hydra of the ALP recently about honesty. On your side of parliament, you get into trouble when you talk about the truth. Senator Conroy is the most recent example. Yesterday, Mr Beazley gets into trouble for, let us say, stretching the truth. While I accept that we play politics hard, I find the hypocrisy absolutely pathetic. The fact that, a few months out from a general election, the entire question time is taken up by your side on issues like this is absolutely pathetic. But if we have to discuss corporate donations, let us do that.

Honourable senators interjecting—

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Order! If senators wish to speak, they may seek the call later. Senator Mason.

Senator MASON —Thank you, Madam Deputy President. While we are on the issue of donations to political parties, corporate donations in the context of Markson Sparks have been discussed before the Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration. We all know that the Australian Labor Party have benefited by, in effect, circumventing the act. In an article in the Bulletin on 5 September 2000, Laurie Oakes talks about a great swag of money— $40,000—paid for a lunch with Mr Whitlam.

I will get to the issues that matter to Australians in a second, and I will not disappoint—I never do—my friends in the ALP. I will get to that in a second. Let us talk about corporate donations for a moment. The Australian Labor Party have benefited enormously by circumventing the current legislation with respect to political donations. The Markson Sparks fiasco has totally obliterated the intent of that act. They in the Australian Labor Party know that. I do not know who would pay $40,000 to have lunch with Mr Whitlam, and I do not care. The fact is that those people were not even indicated in the list of donations.

Have a look at the article in the Bulletin of 5 September 2000. It says that, and no-one has disputed that. We are talking about honesty, accountability and integrity in government. We have had Senator Conroy, who gets into trouble for being honest, Mr Beazley for being dishonest and this lot for totally transcending—

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Senator Mason, it is disorderly and unparliamentary to ascribe dishonesty to a member in this place or in the other place. Please withdraw that.

Senator MASON —I withdraw that. Mr Beazley has been economical with the truth.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator MASON —He has been! What he said yesterday was pathetic. I always thought that Mr Beazley—even though I did not agree with his politics—was at least honest. The fact is that—and I wish that this was being broadcast—the issues that matter to the Australian people are not being debated. What gets me is that we have the bright sparks of the Australian Labor Party talking about this sort of muckraking garbage when they should be talking about the capacity of the Australian Labor Party to govern.

Senator Robert Ray —No more than tax cheats! That is what you are!

Senator MASON —The Australian Labor Party is no longer just an opposition, Senator Ray, but now the alternative government.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Address the chair, please, Senator Mason.

Senator MASON —That is what they are supposed to be, but they cannot get over that hurdle. Do you know why? They have nothing to say. You either have nothing to say, Senator Bishop or, on the other hand, you do not want to refer—

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Address the chair, please, Senator Mason.

Senator MASON —Madam Deputy President, they have nothing to say. They have an appalling record in government. I have a few seconds left to reflect on that. This lot over there nearly bankrupted this country because of the billions of dollars they put on the credit card. They are the matters for this country. No-one cares about what the Groom FEC has done or will do. This lot cares because they have nothing else to do except muckrake. (Time expired)