Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Scarr for ceding to allow me to make a few remarks and follow up on a couple of things that the Leader of the Australian Greens says. In particular, as to her concern that this is about us trying to control or not allow to speak someone who wants or dares to speak, that is absolutely not what this is about. Senator Faruqi has so many opportunities to speak and to raise issues, as every other senator does, but everyone else, to the largest part possible, does it in accordance with the standing orders and the rules of this place. If we are to pretend that they don't matter and don't exist anymore, nobody would ever have an opportunity or have a right to say anything in this place. Those are the rules that we all sign up to when we come into this place. Obviously Senator Faruqi feels that she is exempt from those rules, but the rules allow all of us as senators to participate in this chamber. That is why they are important.

On the first day of the 48th Parliament, at the opening of parliament, we had Her Excellency the Governor-General in the chair and the Chief Justice and others in this chamber to recognise that most important day in our democratic system, to represent the will of the Australian people through our formal processes. To have that used as an opportunity to be disorderly I think disappointed everybody because of the importance of that day. Senator Faruqi has made and will no doubt continue to make her points, as she is able to do as a senator in this place, but what happened yesterday was disorderly, and there has to be a consequence for that or there is no point to our standing orders at all.

Senator Waters also incorrectly—if she had listened to Senator Wong's contribution—tries to minimise the position that the Australian government has taken on and our concern for the conflict in the Middle East. She failed to recognise, when she called for aid, that we have provided over $110 million for aid in recognition of our responsibilities. That's disingenuous. To present this as some mechanism where the Greens are the only people that can raise issues, and to raise them in the way that they choose to, and to fail to recognise the ongoing commitment of the Australian government and the leadership that has being shown through international forum as appropriate to raise concerns about the conflict in the Middle East, is unfair and not being recognised by Senator Waters. Senator Waters is the Leader of the Australian Greens. She is a new leader of the Greens, but there are times when you need to lead, and you need to lead your senators. I would say that response from Senator Waters indicates that she is not prepared to do that.

On the issue of One Nation senators who have chosen, it appears, to turn their backs on the opening of the day, the acknowledgement of country, we are concerned about that and we have raised that. We want the opportunity to speak with First Nations caucus members before we take further steps on that. But we are concerned about that.

Senator Faruqi has, as I said, lots of opportunities to make the points that she wants to make, but to do so as she chose to do yesterday was deliberate, and it was about seeking attention. There is no other reason why she would choose to do it in the way that she did and in a way that reflects so poorly on the Senate and the opening of the parliament. To choose to do it when the Governor-General, Her Excellency, who is a non-partisan figure in our political system, was in charge and chairing the chamber was incredibly disrespectful to the role that she plays, the Chief Justice and others in our democratic system.

I think the motion that Senator Wong has moved does reflect on the seriousness of Senator Faruqi's actions yesterday and the disrespect she showed you, President, in the fact that you were not in the chair and not able to chair the chamber as you would normally would. I think this should also be noted. On the question of the amendments by Senator Cash, the government will not be supporting those amendments. We would hope that Senator Faruqi does apologise for her unparliamentary conduct, and we do believe that the sanction as set out in subsection (e) is a commensurate and suitable response to the embarrassment of yesterday's behaviour.