Patrick Dodson (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Reconciliation) Share this | Hansard source

Well might senators laugh. No matter how sophisticated or user-friendly the technology might be, it is still derived from a policy that is punitive and discriminatory. Social policy that is driven by flawed ideology and runs counter to sound evidence is bad policy. First Nations peoples have been subjected too long to bad policy. They're fed up with government interference in their lives and they're fed up with being branded as irresponsible, lazy and unable to manage their own affairs. This bill disproportionately discriminates against First Nations people and that means that it's racist. In my mind, to support this bill is to support racism. This government goes on and on about how it wants to do things differently 'with' First Nations people and not 'to' First Nations people. That is a hollow mantra. This bill cannot be supported by Labor.

Debate interrupted.