Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday in question time the Prime Minister said that the more than 100,000 people who joined the women's March 4 Justice around the country were lucky because in other countries they would be 'met with bullets'. Rather than describe this as 'a triumph', why doesn't the Prime Minister listen to those who marched and take real action on gendered violence?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is an egregious misrepresentation of what I said in this House yesterday—partisanised, as I've become very used to the Leader of the Opposition doing on such sensitive issues. If the Leader of the Opposition was indeed listening yesterday, he would have heard me say that it was 'good and right' that those who came to this city yesterday and cities around the country voiced their frustrations and their strong concerns. That is exactly what I said. I also said it was good to live in a country where there is a right to protest and there is the rule of law and there is the opportunity for Australians to speak with such a voice. And it is also the case—sadly, it is the truth—as I was seeking only to represent yesterday, that in many countries that is not the case. That is cause for celebration of Australia's democracy.

It may be not a matter that the Leader of the Opposition has had to turn much attention to recently, but as Prime Minister I and the foreign minister have been involved on almost a daily basis with the issues that have been unfolding in Myanmar and to seek the release of Professor Sean Turnell. So it is not surprising that, as Prime Minister, these matters of the absence of democracy, the absence of the right to process, the absence of the rule of law are very much foremost in my mind.

I celebrate our democracy. I celebrate the right to protest. I think it is good and right that Australians came from around the country and gathered in their cities yesterday and voiced their strong concerns—as I was pleased, of course, to give leave for those petitions to be tabled at the start of this question time.

The Leader of the Opposition may seek to partisanise what is a highly sensitive issue, as the government simply seeks to take action such as the immediate increase in the counselling services provided to members of staff which is already in place—the extension of those services to 24/7 counselling support that provides an immediate way for people who find themselves in these terrible circumstances to be able to bring issues forward and have them assisted, as they would then, I would hope, raise these matters with the police. It is why the government agrees happily to and has facilitated putting in place the inquiry, on a multiparty basis, undertaken by the Sex Discrimination Commissioner to ensure that, in a multiparty way, we deal with the real issues that are associated with these grave concerns. It is why our government moves forward to the fifth national action plan for the prevention of violence against women. They're the actions— (Time expired)