Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The debate over the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to parliament is exposing the great divide that exists in Aboriginal Australia. On the one hand, we have Indigenous Australians experiencing genuine disadvantage in remote and regional communities, with poverty, domestic violence, unchecked child sexual abuse, poor services and poor outcomes. On the other hand, we have self-serving and self-loathing elites with a vested financial interest in entrenching this disadvantage. The real problem is not a lack of taxpayers' money. The real problem is the lack of the will to act.

Elites will not act effectively because they do not want to derail the gravy train. They are exploiting the truly powerless for their own agenda. They hate the skin they are in and have contempt for the people they claim to represent. Rather than accept responsibility for their own deliberate failures, they blame non-Indigenous Australians. Sexual abuse of children in remote communities is not blamed on the perpetrators of the abuse, as happens in the rest of Australia, but on the whitefella. These elites, like Thomas Mayo, Senator Lidia Thorpe, Noel Pearson and Marcia Langton, to name a few, spew hatred for the whitefella. They need to take a good long look in the mirror.

All Australians need to understand the Voice will not empower the genuinely disadvantaged Indigenous people we want to help.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ayres on a point of order?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know that it's not within the standing orders to deal with the content of what is a pretty hateful contribution, but there was at the very least a negative reflection on at least one senator and I would ask that that be withdrawn.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Scarr on the point of order?

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Madam Acting Deputy President, I don't think that was a legitimate point of order.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Ayres.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And that shouldn't happen.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. I will remind senators not to reflect on other senators in this place, and I ask you to mind that and heed that, Senator Hanson, if you would care to finish your contribution now.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They need to take a good long look in the mirror. All Australians need to understand that the Voice will not empower the genuinely disadvantaged Indigenous people we want to help. It will not stop the crime, the sexual abuse or the poverty in remote communities like Doomadgee, Aurukun or Hope Vale. It will only empower the self-serving and self-loathing elites who deny their people the agency and assistance they truly deserve. Vote no.