Dr Peter Phelps (his PhD is in Australian History) is a Liberal MP in the NSW Parliament.

His parliamentary bio says "Dr Phelps is a libertarian with social conservative tendencies, placing him within the 'fusionist' school of conservative political philosophy. His political hero is Ronald Reagan."

This is a magnificent speech.

GREYHOUND RACING INDUSTRY BAN

The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS ( 21:38 ): Earlier today the Premier said:

We got it wrong. I got it wrong. Cabinet got it wrong. The Government got it wrong.

Mr President, I did not get it wrong; I got it right. I got the policy and the politics right. I am not going to hide my light under a bushel. I am going to indulge in a gratuitous post‑try celebration. I am going to be doing the Adam Goodes victory dance. I got it right. The Newspoll showed that I got it right—51 per cent said that there should be a second chance for the industry and 61 per cent of non-Sydney people thought that there should be a second chance for this industry. I will not be diverted by calls for a fake unity, which merely seeks to paper over the disastrous decision-making behind this entire process.

The report was received. Media reports indicate that the press-savvy people in the Premier's office wanted to release it publicly to test the waters. But that was not done. Cabinet was presented with it, but Cabinet was down on numbers because it was the start of July. I congratulate Ministers Ayres, Blair, and Goward, who all strongly spoke against it. Indeed, Minister Blair continues to amaze me with his ability to show prescience in both policy and politics when it comes to this State. It was then announced publicly via social media before it went to the party room about six weeks later. This was a disaster, and it was always going to be—just like with legislation on ethanol, which was shoved through Parliament in almost identical circumstances. There was poor review, poor communication, poor consultation and, inevitably, poor results. How can Cabinet have such a tin ear? Do they read their CabSubs? Do they have somebody in their office to do so? Do they understand the political ramifications of the policy decisions?

But my real criticism is not with Cabinet, which is obliged to conform to the provisions of the Westminster system, but with the Liberal backbench. Apart from a select few, everybody toed the line—this "disunity is death" bulldust that masquerades as a virtue. Disunity is not death. Bad policy is death. The idea that it is somehow virtuous to remain silent in the face of terrible decision-making is obnoxious. If you were on a bus, filled with passengers and you saw that the driver was speeding towards a precipice, would you stay silent or would you raise a hue and cry? Would you demand to be let off the bus or would you say nothing and have the bus and all its passengers go right off the cliff?

But, no, the Liberal backbench still remained silent. I can forgive those who genuinely supported the ban because they thought that the industry was entirely impossible and irreconcilable to meet the demands placed upon it. I think they are wrong, but they were at least sincerely wrong. I can also forgive the parvenus who, with no real grounding in the history, traditions or philosophy of the Liberal Party, said nothing. No, the real problems in this case are the careerist weasels—the spineless blancmanges who, knowing this was a bad decision, comforted the Premier that this was the right choice, and sought to defend it publicly, because they believe that the fast-track to ministerial preferment is to be a bobble-headed appeaser of Executive diktat.

For them, Eurasia is at war—we have always been at war with Eurasia—and tomorrow when the Premier says we are at war with East Asia, then we have always been at war with East Asia. If we had sold the dogs to China they would have said that was a great decision. Will they now be resigning or contorting themselves into further pretzels? I say to the Premier: You cannot only rely on people who will only tell you that you are right, unless, of course, you are always only right. Instead, they sat there like Easter Island statues, knowing this was political poison, but not daring for one second to say boo to the Premier lest they lose their Parliamentary Secretary jobs, lest they lose their finger-holds on the greasy pole to the white limo and the Martin Palace office.

Well, sucked in! You made your bed, now lie in it. Good luck going back to your electorates and explaining the 180-degree backflip without looking like the utter gooses that you are. Contrariwise, The Nationals have shown great mettle and good old-fashioned gumption. The only Liberals who have come out of this entire mess with any dignity are those of us who had the political brain to see that this was wrong and had the courage of our convictions to say so. And the Premier. The Premier's decision to reverse the policy took great personal sacrifice and political courage. The media, typically, has demonstrated its loathsomeness by mocking the decision. Yet if this is not the sign of a government which ultimately listens, then what is? The Premier has changed his mind, and he has done it to effect an outcome which is the correct one. Well done, Premier, you are too good, too noble, too decent for the vast bulk of the backbench of your own parliamentary party. You need people who are willing to speak truth to the Executive, not lick-spittle yes-men.