Tim Storer (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I was very pleased to be part of the majority that defeated Senator Hanson's motion yesterday. It's very important to note that this motion was on the Notice Paper in September, so it's been there for a significant period of time. There was plenty of time to review it, no matter what sort of a status you have in your office regarding advisers and the like. It's easy to say that coalition senators should have been thinking more deeply, but this was ridiculous and it was disgraceful. I see children above us here, watching us, and I hope that they can have this situation explained to them in a way that gives them faith in what the adults in this room are doing.

White oppression is not a problem in Australia, and to say so is quite clearly drawing an extremely long bow. Senator Hanson then added in a phrase that was clearly designed to bait and exacerbate the situation. This motion was something that was easily accessible; it was able to be read and reviewed within 30 seconds. This slogan is used by white supremacists, and we want to move as far as we can away from that sort of behaviour in Australia. We are one of the most successful multicultural nations in the world. Motions like yesterday's, particularly when a major party is supporting them, are extremely disturbing, and I'm very glad that I wasn't part of it.