Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That general business notice of motion No. 43 be called on immediately and have precedence over all other business until determined.

Question agreed to.

I, and also on behalf of Senator Waters, move:

That the Senate—

(a) condemns all racism and discrimination against migrants and people of colour;

(b) assures all migrants to Australia that they are valued, welcome members of our society;

(c) affirms that, if Parliament is to be a safe place for all who work and visit here, there can be no tolerance for racism or discrimination in the course of parliamentarians' public debate; and

(d) censures Senator Hanson for her divisive, anti-migrant and racist statement telling Senator Faruqi to 'piss off back to Pakistan', which does not reflect the opinions of the Australian Senate or the Australian people.

Like many migrants and people of colour in this country, I've been told to go back to where I come from hundreds of times. Senator Pauline Hanson did it a few days ago, telling me in a tweet to 'piss off back to Pakistan'. It was a racist slur against me and for her supporters—a deliberate and effective attempt to whip up a frenzy and mobilise a pile on. Right on cue, her tweet triggered an avalanche of—and days of—abusive calls, emails, tweets and comments directed at me, saying things like: 'People will piss on your grave'; 'I will cheer when you die'; 'Your lot are good for target practice'; 'What a dirty, vulgar creature you are'; and 'You are lower than pond life.' Predictably—