Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese today threw his support behind Mr Thomson, saying he “absolutely” believed the Member for Dobell’s denial of wrong-doing.

“I have the view in life that when someone tells you something you believe them,” Mr Albanese said today.

That would be fine it Mr Albanese applied the same rules to everyone. I too believe in the presumption of innocence. Although the only thing that makes that possible in Craig Thomson’s case is the presumption of idiocy.

But Mr Albanese, while willing to believe someone who is either a lying, thieving, sleazebag or a lying, irresponsible moron, is not willing to grant the same courtesy to hundreds of truck drivers and their supporters, some of whom have travelled thousands of miles to put their views to the government.

These are not your typical leftist Canberra rent a crowd. It is easy to drag to together a few thousand people who have nothing better to do than play computer games, whine about John Howard and line up for their dole money.

These are mostly small business people, the ones who drive the Australian economy, people who pay taxes and employ other Australians. Many of them are already struggling, yet they have given up days of time and thousands of dollars in lost income and expenses, to come and talk to the government they elected.

For the Labor government to dismiss them as a bunch of whingers whose views are of no consequence, is rudeness driven by a pungent blend of arrogance and stupidity.

No one from the Government appeared before the group.
 
Inside Parliament federal transport minister Anthony Albanese criticised the event.
 
“The convoy of no Consequence, Mr Speaker, the convoy of no consequence where a couple of hundred people gathered with no support from the mainstream organisations, the people who believe in one world government.”

I guess most Australians have already worked out that the Federal government thinks their views and livelihoods are of no consequence, but for the Minister for Transport publicy to despise ordinary people in this way is an indication of how hollow and isolated from reality this government really is.