Liberal minister lifted Keating quote to sledge Labor leader

A Liberal Minster has stolen an ancient line from Labor luminary Paul Keating to sledge the state opposition leader. What was said.

Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating is seen delivering a speech at Customs House in Brisbane, Wednesday, March 14, 2018. (AAP Image/Darren England)

A Liberal Minster has stolen a line from Labor luminary Paul Keating to sledge the state opposition leader for “squibbing” a chance to form government with the Greens, by siding with the Liberals to reject a no-confidence motion in the Premier.

Liberal Minster Felix Ellis said the Liberal minority government nearly fell on Tuesday — and it would have been replaced by a Labor-Green alliance.

And he described Labor’s Dean Winter of being “a shiver looking for a spine to run down”.

Paul Keating coined the line about Liberal leader John Hewson back in 1991 — the year after Mr Ellis was born — although at that time the shiver was looking for a spine to run up.

Mr Winter returned fire with another Mr Keating’s classics.

“To use a Keating quote accurately, being criticised by Felix Ellis is like being flogged with a warm lettuce,” he said.

: Liberal minister Felix Ellis speaks to the media at Parliament Square in Hobart on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.

Mr Keating used that line on Dr Hewson in 1992, when Mr Winter would have in second or third grade.

Mr Ellis was angry that Labor had voted to allow debate on a no-confidence motion brought by the Greens against Premier Jeremy Rockliff that consumed the bulk of a sitting day.

The motion was ultimately resoundingly defeated when Labor then voted with the minority Liberal government.

“They’re a shambles,” Mr Ellis said. “Labor voted to spend the entire day backing in a Green’s motion and then at the last minute, they squibbed it,” he said.

“They went weak at the knees and frankly, that’s become a pattern of behaviour from Mr Winter.

“They are too close to the Greens, and if they’re willing to be led by the nose on a parliament day, just as they were where they almost brought down the government and put in a Labor-Green accord.

“Then who knows where else they’re willing to do deals? Is it going to be salmon? Is it going to be forestry – we know that’s under threat —- Mining? Defence? Manufacturing?

8/12/23: Paul Keating at his Potts Point office on the 40th anniversary of the floating of the Australian dollar. John Feder/The Australian.

Mr Ellis said the government has a sound agenda, to prosecute and Labor was contributing to slowing down debate of pro-development legislation that would create employment.

“This week, they have decided to cuddle up with the Greens, playing footsie with them,” he said.

“When they should have been backing in the jobs of Tasmanians.

“We’ve seen nationally that the Labor Party have become green as grass and are being led around by the nose by the Greens up there.

“And sadly, we’ve seen that happen again here in Tasmania.”

Independent Senator for Tasmania Tammy Tyrrell said she, like many Tasmanians, had been dismayed by Tuesday’s proceedings in state parliament.

“People don’t trust politicians and is it any wonder why after yesterday?” she said.