I wish you a sound defeat: Wayne Swan’s parting shots at Morrison government

Wayne Swan used his farewell speech to wish the Morrison government “a sound defeat” and slam “race-based dog-whistle politics”.

Mr Swan said the biggest challenge Australia faced was inequality. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Former deputy prime minister Wayne Swan has used his valedictory speech to slam the Morrison government for appealing to “race and xenophobia” in prosecuting Labor for supporting the Kerryn Phelps-inspired medivac bill.

Mr Swan said he hoped Scott Morrison’s team would be “so soundly defeated at the ballot box” that the electoral strategy would never be used in Australia again.

The outgoing member for Lilley and ALP president recalls how the Tampa episode was used by John Howard in 2001 to drown out the political agenda.

“Before then, covert appeals to racism and xenophobia were regarded as unworthy of our country’s elected representatives,” Mr Swan told the House of Representatives.

“When the ship was turned back, something else floated into our harbours in its wake: American race-based dog-whistle politics.

“That politics isn’t new. It’s likely as old as politics itself. We all thought it had died before 2001. But we were wrong.

“My hope is that this ugly approach is so soundly defeated at the ballot box that it can never arise again.”

Mr Swan, who delivered six budgets s treasurer in the Rudd and Gillard governments, lamented that Kim Beazley was not Labor leader when the party won power in 2007.

“I’m not the only one to believe that our recent political history would have been immeasurably more stable, successful and dignified had he become prime minister a decade ago,” he said.

Me Swan also paid tribute to the leadership of Julia Gillard, who he served as deputy during her years as prime minister. He did not make a mention of Kevin Rudd.

“It was a great honour and pleasure to have served as deputy PM and treasurer under Australia’s first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, no tougher warrior for Labor values who possibly alone of recent prime ministers has cracked the secret code about how to carry herself with dignity after losing the job,” he said

Recession busting

The Queenslander was elected to parliament in 1993 but lost his seat in the rout of the Keating government in the 1996 election. He was re-elected in 1998.

Mr Swan staunchly defended his policies in combating the global financial crisis and credited his stimulus packages with helping Australia avoid recession.

“A miracle, some say. But there was no divine providence about it. Australia avoided a recession because of sustained recession-beating policy. As I said dozens of times in this place: we did this by choice, not by chance,” Mr Swan said.

“Australia became the gold standard of recession-busting policy.

“We did all this knowing full well that our opponents would hound us with slogans about debt and deficit. In departing this place, I have a perspective I didn’t in the heat of battle, and can honestly say I’m happy to wear that criticism as the price of saving Australia from much worse.”

Mr Swan said the biggest challenge Australia faced was rising inequality.

“We must get away from the idea that collective action by people to pursue their economic interests is somehow illegitimate,” he said.

“Or that attempts by government to create a fairer society by redistributing income and opportunities are wrong. And we have to get away from the idea that the private and public sectors are somehow mutually antagonistic.

“This stupid and destructive idea has come to dominate our political debates, the proposition that taxes and social investment are inherently anti-business.

“That every dollar that government raises and invests on behalf of the people somehow robs us of our vitality. That pursuing equality makes us collectively poorer.

“You’ve heard it all before, no doubt. And it’s rubbish, the lot of it.”