“A strong governor-general would never have agreed to this.”
In an extraordinary attack on Australia's head of state, Labor has suggested that Sir Peter Cosgrove is a weak governor-general who has committed a "tawdry political act."
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Sir Peter Cosgrove re-opened parliament for a special sitting on Monday. Under powers vested in him under the Constitution he gave a speech, written for him by the government, speaking in favour of controversial ABCC bills, suggesting they would be good for the economy.
Throughout his speech Labor jeered and heckled the GG - who is Australia's official representative to the Queen.
But it was left to Labor's senator Stephen Conroy to launch an unprecedented political and personal attack saying the governor-general had engaged in a "tawdry political stunt" that "demeaned his office."
“A strong governor-general would never have agreed to this," said senator Conroy who was then sharply rebuked by the president of the senate for over-stepping the line.
"Never has the need for a republic been more evident than today. The ghost of Sir John Kerr has crawled and reached out from the grave," said senator Conroy.
"They have pro-rogued the parliament to gain a political advantage."