Mark Butler Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives
12:03 pm
I seek leave to move the following motion:
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) the Member for Hughes' repeated use of social media to spread damaging mistruths about COVID-19;
(b) comments made by the Member for Hughes regarding COVID-19 vaccinations which have the potential to undermine public confidence in the upcoming rollout;
(c) the Member for Hughes' claims have repeatedly been refuted by health experts;
(d) last week, the Member for Hughes told SBS he is in "regular contact with the Health Minister and the Prime Minister's office";
(e) yesterday at the National Press Club, the Prime Minister again refused to condemn the Member for Hughes' irresponsible and dangerous comments during a pandemic; and
(2) calls on the Prime Minister to condemn the irresponsible and dangerous comments of the Member for Hughes.
Leave not granted.
I move:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Hindmarsh from moving the following motion immediately—
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) the Member for Hughes' repeated use of social media to spread damaging mistruths about COVID-19;
(b) comments made by the Member for Hughes regarding COVID-19 vaccinations which have the potential to undermine public confidence in the upcoming rollout;
(c) the Member for Hughes' claims have repeatedly been refuted by health experts;
(d) last week, the Member for Hughes told SBS he is in "regular contact with the Health Minister and the Prime Minister's office";
(e) yesterday at the National Press Club, the Prime Minister again refused to condemn the Member for Hughes' irresponsible and dangerous comments during a pandemic; and
(2) calls on the Prime Minister to condemn the irresponsible and dangerous comments of the Member for Hughes.
The member for Hughes is a dangerous menace to the national COVID-19 response.
Tony Smith Speaker
The Deputy Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat.
Darren Chester Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House
12:05 pm
I move:
That the Member be no longer heard.
Tony Smith Speaker
The question is that the member for Hindmarsh be no longer heard.
Ged Kearney Cooper, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing
I second the motion. The member for Hughes is a dangerous fool, and a real leader would have dealt with him by now.
Darren Chester Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House
In moving that the member be no longer heard I'd also ask the member to withdraw that statement.
Tony Smith Speaker
Members on both sides, it may be the first day but 94(a) certainly applies. I'm just going to say to both sides: I hear people interjecting saying it should be withdrawn. If that's the case, there'll be a lot of withdrawals through question time. I'd have to go back through pages and pages of Hansard to do that. The minister.
Darren Chester Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House
I move:
That the Member be no longer heard.
Tony Smith Speaker
The question is that the member for Cooper be no further heard.
Tony Smith Speaker
12:17 pm
The question now is that the motion moved by the member for Hindmarsh be agreed to. The member for Corio.
Richard Marles Corio, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
12:18 pm
Antivaxxer conspiracies at this moment in time: that's where this Prime Minister—
Darren Chester Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House
I move:
That the question be now put.
Tony Smith Speaker
12:21 pm
The question now is that the motion moved by the member for Hindmarsh be disagreed to. There being more than one voice calling for a division, in accordance with standing order 133 the division is deferred until after the discussion of the matter of public importance.
Debate adjourned.