Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Attorney-General, Minister Farrell. Last November, the Race Discrimination Commissioner handed down the National Anti-Racism Framework. Built on extensive consultation, the framework presents a whole-of-society approach to getting rid of this racist nation, as it's known. A year on, the government has still not responded to the report or endorsed it; why not?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Thorpe, thank you for your question. I of course started my first answer by referring to the fact that we're celebrating 50 years of the Racial Discrimination Act. This government does have a distinguished record in terms of dealing with—

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a point of order on relevance. My question is: why has the report not been endorsed or responded to?

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

Thank you, Senator Thorpe. I'll listen carefully and, if the minister is not directly relevant to your question, I will remind him of your question. Minister Thorpe—I mean Minister Farrell.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

She's not a minister yet.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't intend to be.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One never knows what can happen in politics. Senator Thorpe, can I make this observation: I'm obviously not the Attorney-General; I'm representing her in this place. Now that you've raised the issue, I shall consult with the Attorney-General and seek a response from her—

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why are you celebrating it? How can you celebrate it when you haven't endorsed it?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're celebrating it because it was a milestone. It came in a couple of years after the White Australia policy was abolished by Gough Whitlam. It is worth commemorating. But you've asked the question. I am not the Attorney-General, but I shall seek a response as quickly as I can, Senator Thorpe, and I will come back to you with an answer to that question.

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

Senator Thorpe, first supplementary?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What has the government done, since the framework was first handed down, to progress any of the 63 recommendations—besides ignoring them?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Thorpe, for your first supplementary question. I reject the suggestion that we're ignoring the report. This government takes the issue of racial discrimination seriously. In a response to one of the questions that I was asked, I referred to the large number of racial discrimination cases that have been dealt with just in recent times. As I referred to earlier, we're an action government. Where there are issues to be dealt with, we deal with them. We have an excellent Attorney-General in Minister Rowland. I know she takes this issue—

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A very fine Attorney-General.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, she's a very fine Attorney-General. I know she takes these issues seriously—

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order—just before the clock ran out.

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

The clock has run out.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before the clock ran out, President, is what I said.

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

Senator Thorpe, you're not in a debate with me.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You weren't watching the clock!

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

Senator Thorpe!

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I had a point of order.

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

Which I'm entertaining—if you would just stick to the point of order.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We've run out of time now.

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

You stood up before the end of—

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order was on relevance. I don't want to hear about how great your Attorney-General is. I want to know when racism will stop in this country.

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

Senator Thorpe, the minister was being relevant to your question. In relation to your first question, he's taken it on notice, and he did go to points in your second question. Senator Thorpe, second supplementary?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the government endorse the antidiscrimination report as requested by the antidiscrimination commissioner?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Thorpe for her second supplementary question. The government is obviously preparing a response. I made very clear in my two previous answers, as well as in the answer that I gave to the other question that I was asked, that this government takes these issues seriously, and we seek to carefully deal with all of these issues and to prepare an appropriate response. Again, I shall forward your question to the Attorney-General and come back with a formal response.