Extract from The Guardian website:
'Friends, together we will stop the moats,' Labor senator says in speech dripping with sarcasm
“Hear ye, hear ye,” Dastyari began, in a speech to the Senate on Tuesday night. “My lord, lady and lieges.
“I'm shocked and horrified that people are ridiculing the bold and inspirational leadership of the people's prime minister, Sir Anthony Abbott of Warringah.
“While some may claim that returning to knighthoods is taking the country backwards – I can think of no more important policy for our realm right now.”
The speech drew heavily on the popular TV series, Game of Thrones, which Dastyari reimagined as the “Game of Tones”, lauding the prime minister as a leader “who knows the world is not warming, a leader who knows that winter is coming”.
It touched on Australia’s troubled car industry, suggesting “the carriage industry is a growth area this government is prepared to embrace”. A damehood was floated for the mining magnate Gina Rinehart, while Dastyari praised a free-trade agreement with the colonial-era East India Trading Company that would “open Australia to spice markets unseen for generations”.
“Friends, together we will stop the moats,” he added.
The prime minister announced his decision to reinstate the titles on Tuesday to some disbelief in the press gallery and much amusement online. Abbott said the honour would be reserved for “pre-eminent” Australians, leaving the existing honours system to service the simply “eminent” in the community.
The outgoing governor general, Quentin Bryce, will be the first person anointed as a dame under the new system, with her replacement, General Peter Cosgrove, to be appointed a knight.
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