Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Birmingham. Yesterday Senator Hanson told the Senate that students living with a disability or diagnosed with autism 'are taking up the teacher's time' in the classroom and should 'go into a special classroom'. So far the minister has been silent. Why is the minister refusing to repudiate Senator Hanson's offensive and discriminatory comments?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I dealt with some questions on this matter last night in the Senate committee stage—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is question time now.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is question time now, Senator Wong—you are absolutely correct. It is question time now, and if you did not interject we might actually have the chance to address the question. The government has put forward proposals that absolutely enhance support for the inclusivity of all children in education according to the national disability standards that have been developed under the Human Rights Act.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Wong, on a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is on direct relevance. This is an important issue and there are many families around Australia who would like to see this minister do the right thing. There was one question and one question only: why is the minister refusing to repudiate Senator Hanson's offensive and discriminatory comments? That is the only question he was asked.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister did indicate, in response to the question, that he had answered questions about this last night in the chamber. Also, the minister was only a short way into his answer and I think we have to be fair to the minister. He was on topic.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Mr President. I was making clear the government's commitment to inclusive education for all students with a disability and to ensuring that that inclusive education is supported, as it ought to be, according to the particular needs of those students. The point of the reforms the government has brought to this parliament, which those opposite are opposing, is to provide differentiated levels of support according to the different levels of adjustment assistance all students with disability may require in their education.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Cameron, on a point of order?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr President, on relevance. We are now halfway through the time to respond. There was one question: why is the minister refusing to repudiate Senator Hanson's offensive and discriminatory comments? He should be drawn back to the question.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will remind the minister of the question.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My job, as the minister for education, is to make sure we uphold the disability standards that are in place. My job as minister for education is to make sure that in upholding those disability standards we put in place support for students with disability. We are doing the right thing by putting in place support for students with disability, which those opposite are of course voting against.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. On a point of order, Senator Gallagher?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, on direct relevance. The minister is ignoring your direction and is for some unexplained reason avoiding answering the question, which was about Senator Hanson's offensive and discriminatory comments, not the reform package that the Senate is currently debating. He should be drawn back to the question at hand.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister in response after the last point of order indicated what his responsibilities as a minister are in relation to this topic. If you look at the question asking why the minister is refusing to repudiate, that could be regarded as an answer directly relevant to the question that was asked.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is our job to do the right thing by students with disability around Australia and support their families. Putting in place differentiated loadings ensures that the greatest degree of support goes to the students who need it. It ensures that they get the greatest assistance around the country. That indeed is exactly what we are doing. Those opposite have the gall to come into this chamber and criticise the government and vote against legislation that will put in place more support for students with disability—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, on a point of order?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, it is on relevance. There was one question, and that was about the minister refusing to repudiate. He has ignored it again. He should just repudiate this outrageous slur by Senator Hanson. Just repudiate it!

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You have made your point of order, Senator Cameron. On my right! In relation to the point of order, I reiterate that the question was, 'Why is the minister refusing to repudiate Senator Hanson's remarks?' The minister has gone to answering that question by indicating what his role as a minister is. We can take that as an answer. The minister is in order. Minister, have you concluded your remarks?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, a supplementary question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note the minister's shameful failure to repudiate Senator Hanson's offensive remarks, and I am very disappointed by his answer to that question. My supplementary question: the chief executive of Autism Awareness Australia, Ms Nicole Rogerson, has labelled Senator Hanson's statements as 'dangerous and archaic'. Will the minister now join with Ms Rogerson and condemn those comments? Is she correct?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): What I will do is stand up for ensuring the support is there in the classroom for students with disability, including students who may have autism. I will stand up for the support for them and their families and ensure that that is the type of differentiated support that they deserve, recognising of course that each of their cases is unique and different. Our changes, by applying the nationally consistent definition of students with a disability, will help 470,000 students around the country receive support. Current arrangements, which the Labor Party are voting to keep, only assist 212,000 students, so I will tell you what is shameful. What a shameful is the hypocrisy of the Labor Party coming into this place, pleading for students with disability, but then voting against additional support for 258,000 students with disability. That is what is shameful: the hypocrisy of those opposite who will not do the right thing to help deliver the support to the students who need it most. (Time expired)

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I note that, between my questions and the points of order, the minister has now had about six opportunities to repudiate Senator Hanson's remarks and has failed to do so. So I now give him one further opportunity. Will the minister now finally repudiate Senator Hanson's statements, or is he too worried about losing her vote to stand by students with disability?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased that there appears to be enough people in this chamber willing to deliver more support for more students with disability into the future. Those opposite seem hell-bent on opposing the additional assistance that students with disability deserve. Those opposite want to vote against a 5.9 per cent growth rate in support for students with a disability—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Order, Minister. Senator Wong, point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He can keep avoiding this, but it is plain for all to see. I make a point of order on direct relevance. He was asked a direct question about whether he will now repudiate the comments.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He was asked two questions. Minister, I remind you of the questions. You have 37 seconds in which to answer.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I have said right through these answers, our job—and what we are doing as a government—is to deliver the support that students with a disability deserve. That is going to increase support to more families and more students in more schools and deliver the greatest levels of support to those who are in greatest need. That is something that we should all be very proud of in this place. That is something that we should all be supporting and doing, and those opposite should get on board and support that as well.