Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion relating to the resignation of the Bondi royal commission special adviser, Dennis Richardson, as circulated.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice of motion standing in my name, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion giving precedence to a motion relating to the resignation of the Bondi royal commission's special adviser, Dennis Richardson.

Again, this is one of the most important matters to ever come before not just this chamber but also Australia. That is why the motion to suspend standing orders is so important. In December of last year, Australians were utterly horrified when news reports started coming through of a mass terrorist event at Bondi Beach. Fifteen innocent people were slaughtered. As a result of that, Australians demanded that this government establish a royal commission. They were dragged, kicking and screaming, to do just that, and they eventually did.

But one of the things that the Prime Minister said at the time was that Mr Dennis Richardson's review—the Richardson review—would be folded into the royal commission. Why? Because the Prime Minister himself told Australians that Mr Richardson, given who he is and what his qualifications are, was the person best qualified in our country to examine the intelligence and security surrounding the Bondi massacre. Then, this morning, Australians woke to the news that this person, the Prime Minister's hand-picked adviser, appointed by the Prime Minister because of his expertise in relation to, putting it in plain English, working out what the hell went wrong that ended up with 15 people being slaughtered at Bondi Beach, has actually quit the royal commission. Again, national security matters and the protection of Australians matters. That is why the coalition has taken this step this morning to put forward a motion to suspend what would otherwise be the normal business of the Senate to actually address this matter.

One of the issues the government now faces, though, is this: Mr Richardson did not leave quietly. He has left with words for those Australians who did not hear him this morning, and these words should stop not just Australians but also every single senator in this chamber cold. They should reflect very, very carefully on whether or not they support this suspension. This is what Mr Richardson told the Australian people this morning:

… I was surplus to requirements.

How in God's name is the man who formerly headed our intelligence services, who has one of the most impeccable resumes this country has ever seen when it comes to protecting Australia and Australians—he is the Prime Minister of Australia's hand picked adviser to the royal commission.

The Prime Minister himself, when he announced the folding of the Richardson inquiry into the royal commission, specifically said Mr Richardson is the best qualified person in the country to examine the intelligence and security failures surrounding the Bondi massacre, yet this morning Mr Richardson hasn't just handed in his resignation; he has gone public and said he is surplus to requirements. That is something that this Senate should be incredibly concerned about. They are words that should send not just a chill down the spine of every Australian but more so a chill down the spine of all Jewish Australians, because those on the opposite side of this chamber failed to protect you.

Fifteen innocent people were slaughtered on Bondi Beach. The government was dragged kicking and screaming to set up the royal commission. It eventually did that, and without even providing a first report the man who was chosen by the Prime Minister to look into the potential intelligence failings which resulted in 15 people being slaughtered in a mass terrorist attack last December has this morning said he is surplus to requirements. This is not a bureaucratic inconvenience. This is an absolute indictment on the Prime Minister, the Attorney-General and, quite frankly, the entire government. They need to stand before the Australian people today and address this: what did Mr Richardson mean when he said he was surplus to requirements, and why are you failing the Australian people when it comes to getting to the bottom of the Bondi massacre?