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

I seek leave to move a motion relating the Australian flag, 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 to give precedence to a motion relating to the Australian flag.

Senator Nampijinpa Price wore the flag in this chamber today, of all days. It is Australian National Flag Day. For 124 years since 1901, that flag has been flying. Yet, on this special day, it was denied by the Greens, who stood up and said that it should not be worn. It is not a prop. The Australian flag flies in our chamber.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Gallagher, on a point of order?

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

On standing order 194 on relevance. As I understand it, this is a debate on the urgency for suspending standing orders. It's not to debate the substantive point that has been raised by the motion, and I would ask that you remind Senator Hanson of that.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's correct. Senator Hanson, you sought leave, and leave was not allowed. Minister Gallagher has pointed out that you need to now talk about why you think the suspension is necessary. Further, I remind you of the ruling the Deputy President arrived at today, which I have upheld, which is that no flags are to be worn in the chamber until the matter has been resolved by the procedures committee. So I would ask you to take off the flag.

Senator Hanson, this is a ruling that the Deputy President has made. I upheld that order. I informed the chamber just before question time. I am giving you a direction. I'm asking you to remove the flag in line with the ruling the Deputy President made this morning and the ruling that I am now upholding.

Senator Roberts, it's not a debating point. I'm simply asking Senator Hanson to observe my ruling.

Senator Hanson, you are not normally a senator who doesn't follow directions in this place, and I thank you for following the direction. That direction stands until the procedure committee meets to make a decision. So thank you for following that direction.

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

I'm standing up and speaking out for the people of this nation.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, as I reminded you—

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Blah, blah, blah.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, that is very unhelpful. No, you are not in a debate with me. Senator Hanson, I explained to you that you are now speaking to the suspension, so you need to inform the Senate as to why this matter needs to be brought on now.

Senator Hanson, I am the President of the chamber. It is my job to make sure it's orderly and people follow standing orders. You're not in a debate with me. I'm simply trying to make sure that the Senate is orderly and this debate is orderly by drawing you back to the question. I have Senator Scarr on his feet, so, if you would take your seat, I will come back to you when I see Senator Scarr's matter.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to relevance, I note from my observation over the last six years there has certainly been some latitude given in terms of establishing urgency in relation to contributions.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That latitude might have been given by others; it has never been given by me. I have been very clear that suspension motions are to be debated on the issue of why there should be a suspension. Latitude should not be given. The standing orders are very clear.

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

I just want the people to know what my notice motion is. Today, 3 September, is Australian National Flag Day. The Australian national flag is the enduring symbol of our nation, representing our history, values and unity—never a prop. The Australian national flag holds a special and significant place in our national life, distinct from and above all other flags or symbols, and the Australian national flag is already displayed in the Senate chamber.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, please resume your seat. Senator Ayres.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't want to interrupt Senator Hanson unnecessarily, but my point of order is on relevance. It goes substantially to the same point that Senator Gallagher just made. The point of this debate is around why it is that the other business of the Senate should be interrupted in order for Senator Hanson to be able to make a contribution, and she should address her remarks to that procedural point.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have made it clear to Senator Hanson that she needs to address why the matter is urgent. The senator, as I understood it, was explaining her motion. I was waiting until she finished that and then got back to explaining, using that motion, why the suspension is urgent.

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

The motion calls on the Senate to affirm the right of Australian senators to proudly wear the Australian flag in the Senate chamber. And it goes to the whole point of my notice of motion. Today is Australian National Flag Day, when people in this chamber wish to show pride in the nation, and the fact is that we are elected members of this chamber representing the people of this nation, who fly the Australian flag, and therefore I am asking for the right for us to actually wear the Australian flag.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, I have a senator on a point of order. Could you sit down for a moment.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson seems to be incapable of making the argument about urgency, given that this exact matter which she is asking to be debated has been referred to the Procedure Committee.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is a debating point. Senator Hanson, I would say, is within the rules around suspensions. The senator is explaining that it's National Flag Day. I will continue to listen carefully and make sure that the rest of her remarks are about the need for an urgent suspension and not about the issue itself.

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

That's what I was saying. Today is only one day. Very rarely on any occasion does any senator in this place wear the flag, but today, on this special day, it was not only me but also Senator Nampijinpa Price who wore it and had to take it off. This is one day. We don't do this every day. And I think, as Australian senators, when we have the flag that flies on the flagpole here and also in the chamber, the decision that was made to ban it in Senate procedure is not, during the day of National Flag Day—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, you are straying back to the argument.

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

A point of order, again under standing order 194, on relevance: the debate should be not on the subject for which Senator Hanson is seeking to suspend standing orders but on the reasons why we should suspend to debate that motion, and I ask you again to bring her back to that.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Scarr.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, on relevance, I would have thought that actually making the point that today is Australian National Flag Day and that this is the day it occurred goes to the urgency of it. I can't see how it doesn't.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would urge senators to listen to what I am saying about relevance and not argue across the chamber. I have drawn Senator Hanson back to the point about suspension. I did accept that it was National Flag Day, but then the senator continued to go to the substantive piece of the motion and not the reason for suspension. As I said, to your previous point, Senator Scarr, I don't allow leniency. Suspension debates are suspension debates, and that's how it should be ruled. Senator Hanson, I would again remind you that you need to talk about why this matter is urgent and why it merits a suspension of standing orders.

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

We've only got a few hours of this special day left, and I'm going to call on the Senate now to actually take a vote. I want this to go to the vote. I want the people of this chamber to prove to the Australian people how they feel about the Australian flag, that they support the Australian flag being worn in the chamber so that, later on today, for the next few hours this parliament is going, we can wear the Australian flag, and not wait for procedures to make a decision. I want to see—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please resume your seat.

Senator Hanson, I've asked you to resume your seat. Senator McKim?

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, again, it's 194, on relevance. This is getting perilously close to wilfully disregarding a series of rulings that you've made. Senator Hanson has now just said that she wants a debate on a substantive motion in a debate that is supposed to be about whether or not standing orders should be suspended. She's clearly outside relevance.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ayres?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll listen carefully to what you say in response to Senator McKim's point of order and if I feel the need to jump up in 33 seconds or so I will.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, you do need to confine your remarks to the reason for the suspension. You've put your motion. You sought leave to move your motion. Leave was denied. You then used your contingency to argue as to why this matter is so urgent that it needs to take precedence over other business. That's the point you need to make, not the substantive nature of the original motion. Please continue.

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

As I have said, time and again, because it just annoys people why I'm here explaining that this is Australian National Flag Day, this is where the importance is. We've been shut down here—

Honourable senators interjecting—

The:

Order! Senator Hanson, please resume your seat. Senator Roberts, on a point of order?

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

Yes, the unruly behaviour of the Greens.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, I would urge senators to listen. I called order about three times. So I think we should leave the management of the Senate to me as the President. Senator Hanson, please continue. Senator Hanson has the right to be heard in silence, and if you can't listen in silence please leave the chamber.

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

It is a symbol of our nation and it is what represents our history. I believe that the Australian flag has its values—

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why did you wait til four o'clock?

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

It's not a prop. It represents our nation.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, please resume your seat. Once again you've strayed to the substantive nature of your original motion that you sought leave to move and for which leave was denied. You need to confine your remarks to why a suspension is necessary. Please continue.

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

A suspension is necessary so that we can discuss what I want to raise about the importance of our flag and the presence that it has in this chamber now. We fly it in this chamber. It has a presence here, and that's why it’s very important—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, please resume your seat.

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, a point of order on relevance: Senator Hanson has an MPU about the flag, which will be debated shortly—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order.

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

so if she wishes to make a contribution she could surely do it then rather than make inadequate contributions here.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Waters! When I indicate it's not a point of order, I expect you to resume your seat, not continue talking to me. That's not a point of order. I've made my ruling. End of discussion. Senator Hanson.

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

I've finished my remarks.

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

I move:

That the question be now put.

Question agreed to.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the suspension motion, as moved by Senator Hanson, be agreed to.