Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

ER (—) (): What a regrettable contribution on the part of Senator Abetz to this very, very serious question. Now, Senator Abetz and those opposite really are taking the people of Australia for mugs in this whole exercise. To put to us that this exercise was just an administrative error really beggars belief. I would put it to those opposite to seriously consider that there is something wrong at the very heart of the decision-making processes of this dysfunctional government. For a government to pretend that there was an administrative error involved in supporting this appalling One Nation motion just beggars belief, and I'm sure the people of Australia will understand that.

What is quite clearly evident here is that this is a government which is totally driven by polls. It's quite clear to me that Mr Porter, in his decision to wave through the One Nation resolution, was really looking at the situation in his own seat of Pearce, where it was reported recently that his primary vote is down by 20 per cent to 26.1 per cent. One Nation is now looking at polling at about 12.6 per cent. So, is Mr Porter looking at that issue? That's what drove the government's initial approach to this resolution. Once again, it's a poll-driven response from the Prime Minister looking at the Wentworth by-election some days away and deciding now there's a reason to adopt a different position. This government is taking us for mugs and the people of Australia for mugs. So, perhaps the dog ate the Liberal Party's homework this morning. Maybe Minister Cormann should bring us a note from Prime Minister Morrison. But, no, it was Prime Minister Morrison who threw his Senate colleagues under a bus in what he said.

It's been pointed out a number of times that it was former Senator Boswell who really took a high road on this particular issue. In his valedictory speech he said that a defining moment for him was his tackling of the League of Rights—a far-right-wing anti-Semitic organisation which he saw as trying to exert influence over churches and other areas of society—and also what he described as the fight of his life against Pauline Hanson—Senator Hanson now. He said he risked everything to stand up against her aggressive, narrow view of Australia, and he defined defeating Senator Hanson and One Nation in 2001 as being his greatest political achievement. He made the point that you have to stand for something, and I think that's something that is forgotten by this government. They do not stand for anything. They're entirely poll driven.

The Prime Minister said it was regrettable that his Senate colleagues voted in favour of the One Nation, resolution, but he would say that, wouldn't he? This is the Prime Minister that voted against a banking royal commission 26 times—'regrettable but necessary'. How embarrassed Minister Cormann has been, delivering his mea culpa in this place today. He has been thrown under the bus by the Prime Minister—all of the coalition senators have been—and he had to stand and cop it. He mentioned conspiracy theories. We don't believe that there are any conspiracy theories here. This was a poll-driven response by this government, devoid of any values and principles. This is a government in its death throes. Let's be very clear about that. This is a government which is divided amongst itself, fighting itself and not focused on the issues.

What is deplorable to me is that the issue of racism should be something which is above politics. The alternative parties of government should join together and stand together against racism, and the fact that this government chose to turn its back on that approach is absolutely appalling. What we need to see is an election as soon as possible. Let's get rid of this rabble. We need to have a government which is up to the task of representing the people of Australia and making the decisions that the people of Australia require of us.