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

When I was elected as a senator for our great country earlier this year, I was honoured to represent Australians in the chamber. Yesterday I witnessed our Senate censure, gag and suspend our leader, Senator Hanson, for seven days. Senator Hanson was denied the introduction of a bill, the Criminal Code Amendment (Prohibition of the Burqa and Other Full Face Coverings in Public Places) Bill 2025, in the Senate. The bill bans the wearing of a burqa in a public place in Australia.

In a move of absolute hypocrisy, the Senate decided that Senator Hanson would be denied her right to speak to the bill—in effect, stopping debate and gagging Senator Hanson. To bring attention to this complete and utter hypocrisy, Senator Hanson wore the burqa into the chamber. The Senate descended into chaos and suspended proceedings. Senator Hanson was again denied her right to speak when she was named for wearing the burqa.

The Senate today decided that Senator Hanson would be suspended for seven days, denying her the right to represent the people of Australia—the people she was elected to represent. The leader of One Nation was denied her right to hold this government to account. It is apparent that freedom of speech does not apply in this chamber. If you think—

Really? Yes. If you think we have problems with our current government, well, just imagine for a moment how bad they would be without Senator Hanson, my colleagues Senator Roberts and Senator Bell and me to question the governance of Australian people.

Consider for a minute how the rules of the Senate are being applied by the Senate. Senator Faruqi was wearing a keffiyeh in the Senate the same morning, yesterday morning. The keffiyeh has a history of being an internationally recognised insignia and symbol of racist and violent jihad that openly calls for the murder and genocide of an entire demographic of people based on their religious beliefs. I would bring to the attention the President the state of this chamber yesterday morning. Given the violent, genocidal significance of this keffiyeh, Senator Faruqi was wearing this very symbol of hatred in her own stunt to bring political props into the Senate.

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whitten, can you take your seat. Senator Shoebridge.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm loath to take a point of order in an adjournment speech, but this member is now making—

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Shoebridge, do you have a point of order?

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do, if you'll let me articulate it. This member is now making repeated slurs, assertions and personal attacks against Senator Faruqi. They are clearly out of order, in gross breach of the standing orders, and I'd ask that you draw his attention to that and ask him to withdraw those attacks on Senator Faruqi—to withdraw them unconditionally.

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've just had some advice from the Clerk. Senator Whitten, the remarks in relation to what a senator was wearing are not in breach of the standing orders. I would ask that you keep your commentary in relation to other senators in this place in a parliamentary, safe way, in the goodwill of this chamber, but my ruling is that it is not impugning a senator. Please take your seat, Senator Shoebridge. I have ruled already on your point of order.

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

And what did the Senate do about this?

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a further point of order.

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Shoebridge, you do not call out to the acting deputy president while you are on your feet. You are well aware of the rules here in the Senate. If you would like to raise a point of order, that is different from the ruling that I have just presented to the Senate. Senator Whitten, please take your seat. If it is on this same ruling, I am not entertaining that.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is in relation to the same ruling, as is my right—

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please take your seat. I have ruled on that point of order already.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

 to refer your ruling to the President for review given, on my reading of what Senator Whitten said, he made clear and distinct slurs against Senator Faruqi. I ask you to refer your ruling to the President for review.

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I will not refer my ruling to the President of the Senate. Please take your seat, Senator Shoebridge.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think you are required to.

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I'm not, because I have sought advice from the clerk, and that was the advice that I was given.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have asked you to refer—

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's right. You can ask, and I can refuse.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is within my rights, and you can't silence me like this.

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please take your seat. We're moving on.

Senator Scarr, I haven't allocated the call, but would you like to raise a point of order?

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

The point of order is on continual interruptions, interjections and debating with the acting deputy president, which I think is inappropriate. I think your ruling was quite clear, Acting Deputy President, and I think all senators should respect that ruling.

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator Scarr. I will remind senators that seeking advice from the clerk in relation to making rulings is within the standing orders and is normal practice of acting deputy presidents or temporary chairs in this place and also of the President and Deputy President. I thank Senator Scarr for his support. The ruling was made based on the advice from the clerk. I allocate the call back to Senator Whitten.

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

And what did the Senate do about this? Was Senator Faruqi censured, gagged and suspended from the Senate for seven days? No. She wasn't asked to leave the chamber. She wasn't censured. She wasn't denied the right to speak. She wasn't suspended for seven sitting days. But Senator Hanson was. The suspension and the violent antics that we saw from the Senate yesterday could only be described as premeditated bullying and intimidation of the very kind that the liars and the hypocrites in this place claim to want to stamp out. Many of the members in this Senate are in fact—

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whitten—please take your seat, Senator Shoebridge—I did issue a warning in relation to impugning other motives and senators within this place and containing your language to ensure that it is parliamentary, so can you please follow that ruling and, I think, in the goodwill of the chamber, withdraw your comments that may have been taken in that tone.

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

I withdraw.

Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you.

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

Many of the members in this Senate are in fact perpetrators of the very crimes that they claim to oppose. This is a classic example of when it is okay to use the crimes of Senate sanctioned intimidation and violence when it is convenient to do so. What mess has our Australian Senate descended into? The question of why the Senate is scared to let Senator Hanson represent the people of Australia has to be asked.

One Nation has the preview event tonight for our animated movie on political life, ASuper Progressive Movie, booked at the Parliament House theatre since 16 October. This afternoon, just hours before the event, we were advised that the screening was cancelled owing to the risk of offensive material in the trailer. People have flown from all around the country to attend this event. The administration of Parliament House and its venues must be beyond reproach. One Nation has every right to consider this was a political decision. If it was not, they would have simply asked to see the trailer. One Nation would like to now know who was behind the decision.