George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Dodson, when are people on your side of the chamber going to wake up to the fact that, in a liberal democracy, people have a right to express whatever views they like on social and political issues—whatever views they like. If you look at the rich variety of views that have come to us with the new Senate crossbench, that is the best manifestation you will see, Senator Dodson, of the Australian people asserting that they like to see represented in this parliament a rich and diverse variety of views, from Senator Lee Rhiannon to Senator Pauline Hanson and all points in between. That is what a liberal democracy is about, Senator Dodson—people having the right to express views that other people might find unpalatable, affronting or shocking. That is the way a liberal democracy works. (Time expired)