Australian MPs Blast Taylor’s Tribute to Helen Haines as Out of Touch
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Several federal MPs condemned former Prime Minister Anthony Taylor’s speech honouring Helen Haines, saying it failed to reckon with the recent alleged attack and instead reflected a detached, partisan mindset that many saw as unworthy of the moment.
Federal MPs on Tuesday criticised former Prime Minister Anthony Taylor for delivering a tribute to independent MP Helen Haines that they said was tone-deaf and out of step with the public mood after the alleged attack on Haines.
Independent MP Monique Ryan said the speech ignored the shock and grief felt nationwide and shifted attention toward partisan debate, calling it a "poor example" for communities and a reminder of how disconnected political theatrics can be from real-life pain.
Liberal MP Andrew Hastier warned against personal attacks in politics, urging colleagues to "play the ball, not the person" and to avoid the kind of poisonous partisan rhetoric he linked to U.S. politics.
Other parliamentarians, including independent Allegra Spender and Greens leader David Shoebridge, signed a civility pledge in Haines's honour, promising to act with honesty, respect and compassion in a Parliament too often marred by hostility.
The Parliamentary Budget Office noted Haines as the only independent MP to have all her election commitments costed, highlighting her role in parliamentary accountability and the value of transparent politics.
In related news, New South Wales announced a large-scale gun buy-back program and a biosecurity lockdown in the Sydney suburb of Enfield after fire ants were found at a freight centre.