This week on Marcus Paul I talked about the revelations in Parliament this week and politicians failing to lead by example.

Transcript

Malcolm Roberts, good morning.

Good morning, Marcus. How are you?

Well, thank you, mate. Did you hear that?

I did. It’s disgusting, isn’t it? But you know what it shows, Marcus? It shows complete disrespect for the people of Australia. The people in that parliament house are supposed to be representing the people of Australia and they’re supposed to listen to the people and then serve the people. And what we have is a complete disregard for the people and the people’s assembly house. And what it shows is that voters have lost control of this country. This is supposed to be a democracy in which the citizens are served by the parliament and by the parliamentarians. We now have voters in this country, citizens in this country working for the parliament. The parliaments today, state and federal level, both are serving the parties, the the tired old parties and their donors, that’s it. And so what you have is this nonsense going on in the parliament. I have never yelled out and I never will. Pauline has only yelled out about twice because she just couldn’t contain herself. But she’s never yelled out anything vile or anything crazy. It’s just a matter of, you know, respect for each other. And even if you don’t like someone’s view, they are there to supposedly serve the people of Australia. You have to respect it then listen to them and then beat their argument with data and facts not with slurs and lies.

Yeah, just on one issue that we’re asking our listeners this morning and it’s made news as well. Alcohol should not be tolerated in parliament houses. The senior coalition minister backing a booze ban in the wake of a damning Report on the rates of bullying and harassment in Canberra. We know that Home Affairs minister, Karen Andrews has thrown her support behind an alcohol ban in federal parliament, saying she would be quote very comfortable if it was no longer allowed. This is a workplace. Alcohol should not be tolerated. Well, she’s right. It’s not tolerated here at the radio station. I’m sure it’s not tolerated in any other workplaces where there’s business to be conducted, Malcolm.

Yes, that’s a very good point. I drink very little. The strongest thing I have is a light beer, probably a one or two a week and that’s it. So if they banned alcohol in parliament house, I’ve got no problem with that whatsoever. It is important though, to recognise that it is a workplace and so it is important to recognise that and I agree with you. At the same time, there are so many hours that we spend in parliament house, that it is important to recognise it’s also a social place. And so, it’s not a simple cut and dried issue.

Oh, I understand, yes.

And you know, there are quite often some things, people relax, I relax just depending on the company. So I don’t need booze to make me relax. But some people do. And so there can be some things happening over drinks that will really facilitate politics. And I don’t mean getting drunk. I mean, just, you know, some people relaxing.

Well, a glass of wine over lunch is fine but you know, without going to excess, particularly if you’re expected in the chamber a little later to vote.

Exactly. And see, I wouldn’t drink at all during the day and I never do because even the light beer can affect me slightly. It doesn’t affect my thinking.

You’re lightweight like me, Malcolm. I am a lightweight.

Exactly. Yeah.

Absolute lightweight.

Well, we prefer to call ourselves heavyweights and that we focus on the work rather than the alcohol. But I think, you know, it’s like everything in moderation. The key issue in parliament is that it’s a place where data and facts are no longer used to drive policies and decisions markets and what happens then is that people resort to the other things which has power over others. And we can see that in the rape allegations and in the violent behaviour and the intimidation and the bullying, that starts at the top, you know. And, so it’s up to the prime minister and it’s up to the leader of the opposition to behave properly, respectfully and above all, honestly.

Yeah. I mean, look there was an incident with Anthony Albanese earlier this week that was much publicised. I don’t mind a little bit of banter across the chamber. I mean, I don’t want it to be stayed and you know, where people can’t be emotional if you like. And I understand that there will be interjections, there will be sighs, there will be groans. There will be all this sort of stuff. But I mean, the comments that were made, obviously that’s been reported and you say you heard it in the Senate. I mean, that’s where it goes way too far.

Yeah. I didn’t hear them in the Senate. I just heard what you said.

Oh, okay.

I wasn’t in Senate. We’ve been doing Senate remotely because Palaszczuk up here has got us in quarantine if we come back from Canberra for two weeks and you just can’t be out of the constituents for two weeks. But you know, those comments by Lidia Thorpe were just disgusting and there’s just no room for that at all. And, she does that quite a bit. She has called various people, old men, old grey head men, just slurs and you know, just denigrating people. And that shows that she, shows something about her past but it also shows that she hasn’t got an argument and she’s looking for attention. And I’m guessing that poor old senator Thorpe has not had a good time because she doesn’t feel like people are listening to her or paying any attention. You don’t get attention and respect by behaving in the way she does and she has yet to work that out.

Yep. All right, Malcolm. Just a short old chat this morning, just on what’s been transpiring in parliament this week. You and I will talk again next week. Thank you very much.

All right, mate.

One Nation’s, Malcolm Roberts on the programme.