Senate debates

Wednesday, 16 August 2017

Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers

Qualifications of Members

3:31 pm

Photo of Peter Whish-WilsonPeter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Attorney-General (Senator Brandis) to a question without notice asked by Senator Di Natale today, relating to the Deputy Prime Minister.

I would like to make some comments about Minister Brandis's response to Senator Di Natale's question, which is also on citizenship. I want to reiterate, on behalf of the Australian Greens—we have been very consistent this week—we want to see an audit of every MP's and every senator's citizenship status. This will clear this issue up. This will put it behind us. This will give the public confidence in the institution of parliament that's so important to the Australian people. This will make it look like we're not in here being self-serving or doing this as a political party, which, of course, the Australian people are well and truly fed up and sick and tired with. It's an easy solution—as would be, by the way, amending the Australian Electoral Act to make it a requirement that, before you're sworn in to parliament, all this stuff be sorted out with the AEC and that they audit it as well, so that we don't have any future uncertainties.

I want to make a very quick comment about Senator Paterson, who was very vocal when my ex-colleagues Senator Waters and Senator Ludlam resigned. He was tweeting things on section 44 such as:

It's an entirely reasonable prohibition which is extremely straightforward to comply with.

I'd say to Senator Paterson: how's that cold breeze blowing through your glass house in the last week? Do you need a dressing gown and slippers to avoid those rocks and that broken glass? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks—very, very embarrassing. But, to his credit, he wasn't the only one. There were a lot of other people having a poke, but we need to sort this issue out. My last comment is: seriously, if this country is going to pick a fight with New Zealand, there are much more important things we should be focusing on, like who invented the Pavlova, where Phar Lap's heart is, and why Split Enz haven't had a comeback tour. I will now sit down.

3:33 pm

Photo of Derryn HinchDerryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank Senator Whish-Wilson for giving the rest of the crossbench two minutes of his time commenting on what Senator Paterson has said. I endorse the glass houses comment. It came from a lot of people. But he said that both Senator Canavan and the member for New England, the Crocodile Dunedin Mr Joyce, acted honourably and appropriately. Well, in the case of Senator Canavan, I agree that he did. He stood alongside the Attorney-General. The Attorney-General stood alongside him to give him some support while he stood down from the ministry. He didn't resign from the house, but he said he would not vote until the matter was settled by the High Court, and it was referred to the High Court.

But I ask you to put the shoe on the other foot. In the current situation, in the way that the Attorney-General has tried to describe this, just imagine if it were Prime Minister Rudd, and Prime Minister Rudd were there in the other place and he discloses to the other place that Julia Gillard is still—surprise, surprise—a citizen of Wales, that she is still Welsh. They admit it and they refer her to the High Court, but, no, she doesn't stand down from the cabinet. He reappoints her. In that case I would think the Prime Minister, who would then have been the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Turnbull or Mr Abbott, would have gone nuts about that and attacked it up hill and down dale, because, as Senator Paterson says, section 44 is quite clear. I have read it over and over again. I made my phone calls to Wellington, to the Department of Internal Affairs, to make sure I got my renunciation papers in house and in order. He said it's very simple. They all could have done it.

I will just make one other point. After some of Senator Dastyari's comments this afternoon about New Zealanders, I feel tempted to jump up and do a haka!

Question agreed to.