Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

What we are talking about here is a motion that decries the sexist language—and, in many cases, racist language—that has been used during the American presidential debate. I do not think there should be any debate about whether the Australian Senate should condemn that language; of course it should—it is unacceptable, it is vile, it is vulgar, it is misogynist and it has no place in modern society. The pattern emerging from the coalition—that it refuses to engage in debating or discussing any motions that have a foreign policy element—is one that we are deeply concerned about. This is a chamber where these issues need to be raised. We quietly raise with the coalition that, in future, we will be using the opportunity to suspend standing orders if they continue to deny leave on these sorts of motions.