Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I think the speech that we just heard is a perfect example of grandstanding. I raise serious concerns about the fact that a senator from this place thinks it's appropriate to share a platform with a man who's made the most outrageous comments, which were in the question that I put to Senator Ruston.

I want to declare at the beginning that I absolutely believe in freedom of speech. I also believe in freedom of people to manifest their religion, freedom of movement, freedom of association, and freedom to form unions and fight for the rights of hard-working Australians. But I don't believe in freedom to spew hate. That is something I don't believe in.

Senator Stoker would have us believe that this is about having a conversation. We're way past the point of a discussion about ideas when you're standing in a public place, at a platform in the public community, with a man who does not deny that he tweeted a comment into the public space—about the Scottish National Party leader, Nicola Sturgeon, who had recently suffered a miscarriage—that said, 'Can someone just, like … tape Nicola Sturgeon's mouth shut? And her legs, so she can't reproduce.' This man is a public figure with remarks of that kind on the public record. If Senator Stoker really believed that this was a conversation worth having, she could send him a letter. She could get him on the phone. She could have a conversation with him in private if she felt so obliged. But instead she has chosen, in her role as a senator, to stand on a platform with this man.

Yesterday, we had a view that was offered to us by Senator Cormann. Yesterday, this was his view: he condemned that language from Mr Raheem Kassam as 'disgraceful' and 'highly objectionable'. He said yesterday it was 'completely outrageous'. Senator Cormann said yesterday 'I entirely abhor it'. 'I'm sure anyone in this Senate abhors it,' he also said yesterday. But today, he had a different tune. He's indicated, as was reflected in the great contribution from my colleague, Senator Watt, that he's stepping back from that natural abhorrence at what can only be described as hate speech. This government has the capacity to prevent the harm that comes from having voices like Raheem Kassam's broadcast further into our community.

I can tell you what I don't like as an Australian, as a member of the Labor Party and as a senator in this great parliament. I don't like people who vilify those I live in the community with. I don't want to give a platform to voices of hate. I'm up for every decent discussion of ideas, but hate speech is a lot more than just a bad idea and this man is a propagator of hate speech and will be at a forum that will be filled with people who can't wait to hear the kind of hate that he wants to spread. That is not good for our democracy. There is a difference here. It needs to be understood and the line needs to be drawn. But, just as Senator Cormann, in his statement overnight, walked away from that fair, rational and reasonable judgement of Mr Raheem Kassam's statements yesterday, we have a government that is failing to use some of the legislation that they so often crow about. Section 501 of the Migration Act exists so that a minister has the power to refuse the visa of an individual of such a character. The minister can refuse the visa if there is a significant risk that an individual would vilify a segment of Australian community or incite discord or represent danger to them during their time in Australia. This government can act. At the very least, they should counsel Senator Stoker and give her the opportunity to have the conversation that she keeps talking about. But standing on a platform giving a speech and lending the credibility of her role here as a senator to such a man is a failure of democracy. (Time expired)