Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian flag is representative of who we are as Australians and of the strong values we uphold as a nation, and we must protect it. The Albanese government does not support the burning or desecration of the Australian flag, the Aboriginal flag or the Torres Strait Islander flag. As a nation, we deeply value an open and liberal democracy, which includes protecting the right of every Australian to express their political view. And there needs to be a balance between protecting this right and ensuring that those who go further and engage in criminal conduct are dealt with by the law.

Across the country, states and territories already have laws in place to capture this abhorrent conduct. Australian criminal laws are designed to provide a basis for action against people who abuse the flag in certain situations, such as where it involves a breach of the peace or where private property is destroyed. We are not able to support the motion as drafted by Senator Hanson, and we have moved an amendment to the motion to strike a balance and for it to be a motion that we could support. Our amendment asks the Senate to consider omitting all words after 'the following is a matter of urgency' and to substitute:

The need for the Senate to recognise that Australia is a nation that welcomes different races, religions and views and today is home to the oldest continuous culture on the planet, and to people from more than 300 ancestries. The Australian National Flag, and the other national flags, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, represent our shared values and our rich history and any actions to desecrate these flags should be condemned.

The events of the past weekend make it clear: we don't need debates that promote fear and division. What we need is unity and respect, especially in the Senate.