Senate debates
Monday, 24 November 2025
Documents
Housing; Order for the Production of Documents
3:44 pm
Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
At the request of Senator Bragg, I move:
That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, by no later than 9 am on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, all written or digital correspondence, documents, briefing notes and meeting notes between Housing Australia and the Minister for Housing in relation to the Chair of Housing Australia since 1 January 2025.
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The question is that this motion be agreed to.
A division having been called and the bells being rung
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Is this a point of order?
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Where's the President? This can't be happening. Get this racist person out of here now!
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Thorpe! Resume your seat.
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Get the President! Who's in charge here?
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Resume your seat! This matter has been considered before. Dress is a matter for an individual senator's conscience.
Carol BrownSlade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The chamber attendants have verified that this is a senator. If Senator Askew is not comfortable in counting that senator then she can notify the matter to me. This matter has been considered before.
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
No! I'm going to play up. I'll shut down this Senate until she is removed!
Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
There's no dress code in this Senate.
Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Dress code might be a choice of senators, but racism should not be the choice of this Senate! This is a racist senator displaying blatant racism and Islamophobia. Someone should pull her up on that!
Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It is you in the chair. You should be pulling her up on that!
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Faruqi, resume your seat! Senator Payman, on the same issue I take it.
Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
What else would I be talking about, Deputy President? If this is about the dress code, she is disrespecting a faith. She is disrespecting the Muslim Australians out there. It is absolutely unconstitutional. This needs to be dealt with immediately, before we proceed. It's disgraceful! It is a shame—
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Payman, resume your seat. Your position has been made clear. This is a matter for the entire Senate chamber. I have made the previous rulings of this Senate clear. If the Senate wants to change that ruling, that is a matter for the entire chamber, not for me.
Senator Whish-Wilson, if this is on the same matter, I'm not going to entertain it any more.
Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It's different. Senator Hanson is using a prop in the Senate, and it's a dangerous prop. It is dangerous to this country, so I ask that you rule on her bringing a prop into the Senate. It's not her normal dress code. It is clearly a prop to make a political statement. If I was to wear a Greens t-shirt in here, or a Fremantle Dockers shirt of whatever, I would get shown the door.
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Whish-Wilson, resume your seat. This matter has been ruled on before.
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
This is making our workplace unsafe.
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Thorpe, resume your seat!
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
No, not until you get this racist out!
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Thorpe, resume your seat. Senator Faruqi, resume your seat.
Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
No; there is a person in here ridiculing my religion. Senator Hanson, if you had any shame, you'd walk out of here! Deputy President, you need to rule on this.
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Faruqi, resume your seat!
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Faruqi, resume your seat. Senator Shoebridge and Senator Waters, resume your seats.
No; Senator Shoebridge, resume your seat. I will complete this division, and then if a senator wishes to dissent from my ruling, they are entitled to.
Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
We are dissenting now.
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
You cannot dissent now. We need to complete the division. We will complete the division, and then you may move dissent in the chair.
David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My point of order, if you can hear me, Deputy President—
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
There has been a request to cancel the division.
David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Yes; that's my request.
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Does anyone object to cancelling the division? We will cancel the division.
No; it's cancelled.
Honourable senators interjecting—
The doors have been locked. The division will need to be finalised. Would senators please resume their seats. Senator Wong?
Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Hello, Deputy President. I've been on my feet for a minute.
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My understanding and the advice I have is the division needs to be completed. If someone wants to dissent at that point with my ruling, they can. I am going to put the question. The question is that the motion, as moved by Senator Bragg, be agreed to. Ayes will pass to the right of the chair, noes to the left. I'll give senators a few moments to assume their seats, as I assume, Senator Wong, you do not wish to be on this side—nor you, Senator Chisholm.
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Is this to kick the racist out? What's this vote for?
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
We are attempting to finish the division. Then you may dissent on the chair's ruling.
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
We have a right to be in a safe workplace, and that racist is making it unsafe.
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Thorpe, sit down. You do not have the call.
3:56 pm
Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
(In division) Senator Wong, a division is being counted.
Senator Wong, I think we need to complete the division—
Honourable senators interjecting—
Order! The doors have been locked. We can't.
Honourable senators interjecting—
The doors should not have been unlocked, if they were.
Honourable senators interjecting—
Senator Thorpe, you cannot leave your chair.
Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Well, I'm not voting on that side, and I'm not voting with that racist, so I'll stand here, thanks.