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

I rise today in absolute disbelief and, frankly, in disgust at the blatant disregard shown by the Labor Party and the Greens towards the Australian people and the Australian flag. Over 46,000 Australians signed a petition, that One Nation presented here yesterday, calling for the burning or desecration of our national flag to be made a criminal offence—46,000 signatures ignored. The Australian flag is not just a piece of fabric; it's the symbol of our history, our values and our freedoms, and the sacrifices made to defend them.

Yet yesterday on Australian National Flag Day, Senator Hanson was prevented from even wearing the flag in the Senate by the Greens. Let that sink in. Wearing the Australian flag was deemed offensive in our own parliament.

This morning on national television, a Greens senator refused to condemn the burning of our flag, calling it 'political expression'. What an absolute disgrace. To make matters worse, another Greens senator floated the idea of wearing the Palestinian flag in the parliament instead. Who's parliament is this? Who do these people actually represent? It sure isn't the everyday Australians who love this country. It sure isn't the families who've lost loved ones in war defending that flag and it sure isn't the people who still believe in pride, patriotism and decency.

This is not free speech. This is cowardice dressed up as progressivism. It's an insult to every Australian who has ever worn the flag on their sleeve in uniform, in sport and in service. The actions of the Greens and the silence of Labor is nothing short of betrayal—a betrayal of our values, a betrayal of our history and a betrayal of our people. Shame on them.