Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was approached by many Australians over the weekend, appalled by the Treasurer's disgraceful performance last week. He thought he was being funny, attacking Labor for showing interest in New Zealand's innovative Wellbeing Budget, but he did so by mocking Indian and Hindu culture and their religious practices. He denigrated ashrams, yoga and meditation. The Treasurer would not make such jokes about Christians or Muslims, or his own Jewish faith, would he? So why are the ancient practices of Hindus and Indians so funny to him?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Liberal MPs just laughed along, like they're yelling now, but I was appalled. I've been to India. I spent time in ashrams, meditating, doing yoga. Yoga and meditation have been proven by modern science to have health and wellbeing benefits, and they're taught in many schools. Frankly, this parliament—and those opposite—would function better if we spent a bit of time each day calming down and reflecting.

This wasn't a politically incorrect private remark, or words taken out of context; it was a sledge in the national parliament, where the highest standards should apply. I don't think he was being racist, but it was culturally insensitive—the verbal equivalent of doing blackface in the chamber. He should reflect on his words and find his apology within, and actually have a look at the Wellbeing Budget. It's interesting. It doesn't mean abandoning fiscal discipline, but it's founded on the idea that financial prosperity alone is not a sufficient measure of the quality of human life. It's not really that radical.