The Opposition Leader today made the dishonest claim that I had somehow destroyed bi-partisanship in the nuclear debate.
That honour rests with the Opposition and Mr Downer who yesterday launched a desperately empty, misguided and completely partisan Matter of Public Importance criticising the Government's policies to secure a nuclear
weapons free world.
Yesterday Mr Downer was partisan. Today Mr Howard affected a passion for bi-partisanship.
A display of humbug on the subject today cannot unwind the partisan response of yesterday which has received broad publicity.
Whatever the body-language, you either support an initiative of this kind or you don't.
Mr Howard made it clear yesterday with the Opposition's MPI that he didn't
support the Government's position.
In his concocted indignation today Mr Howard failed to take up any issue of
substance on nuclear or strategic policy.
CANBERRA
26 October 1995