Maintain Your Rage And Enthusiasm: The #5and5 Best & Worst Moments From Parliament.

Manager of Opposition Business, Tony Burke, brings you the #5and5 best and worst moments from Parliament.

On Tuesday morning this week, our regular morning meeting in my office had barely started. It was just after 8am when one of Bill's staff members came in to tell him what had happened, then he told us. Without a word we fell into minutes of silence. We had lost a giant of Australian politics and a Labor legend. Australia's twenty-first Prime, Minister Edward Gough Whitlam, made Australia the vibrant, multicultural, forward thinking and confident nation it is today. If you'd like to offer your condolences to the Whitlam family please click to leave your message.

BEST:

1. Parliament stopped to remember Gough.

You can view more condolences for Gough here.

2. Labor MPs and staff came together to remember the life of a great Australian.

Mervyn Bishop

3. Bill stood up to the Government's cuts to the seniors supplement and leaving young Australians without an income for six months.

4. Many Labor electorates are hit hard by this Budget and Labor MPs are making their voices heard.

5. This week is National Week For Deaf People - I'll let Julie Owens tell you more.

WORST:

1. Tony Abbott refused to say how many people will miss out on being diagnosed as a result of the hit to imaging and diagnostic services.

2. Ebola is a serious issue, and the Government is still not doing its fair share. Tanya Plibersek continued to campaign for Australia to play its role in helping fight Ebola. This isn't only a national interest issue, it's the right thing to do.

3. Scott Morrison is not very popular, even among his colleagues.

We now get report after report of him trying to take over the work of other Ministers, which they don't seem to like.

4. It's hard to explain what Barnaby said, so here's the quote - it really is a quote.

5. In Opposition Environment Minister Greg Hunt advocated for the protection of the Tasmanian Tiger, extinct since 1936.

The Last Tasmanian Tiger

In Government he’s turned his attention to the Antarctic Walrus – population: zero. Walruses live in the Northern Hemisphere.

Of course Shadow Environment Minister Mark Butler had to ask a question about it.

Finally, thankfully the week began with the Speaker announcing she would not continue with the policy of segregation which had been announced as Parliament rose a fortnight earlier.

This week's #5and5 song of the week is dedicated to Gough.

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