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

I seek leave to move a motion relating to the Israeli president's visit to Australia, as circulated.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice of motion standing in the name of Senator Waters, 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 Israeli president's visit to Australia.

It's hard to express just how disgraceful the government's invitation to Israel's President Herzog is. They know it will inflame community divisions and they know it will call into question our government's commitment to international law and human rights, and they just don't care. We've seen the photo of President Herzog signing bombs that were sent into Gaza. He's accused by a UN commission of inquiry of inciting genocide. That's not just a slogan that you don't like; it's the active facilitation of the mass murder of tens of thousands of Palestinian adults and children and of unimaginable harm and sorrow for the hundreds of thousands injured and the millions that love them.

The UN independent international commission of inquiry found that President Herzog made statements that incited the commission of genocide. On 13 October 2023, President Isaac Herzog stated:

It's an entire nation out there that is responsible. It is not true, this rhetoric about civilians who were not aware and not involved. It is absolutely not true.

That's what he said. That isn't just inflammatory rhetoric. What Herzog was calling for is collective punishment, and there is a reason it is illegal and a war crime. That appalling statement was also cited before the International Court of Justice as demonstrating genocidal intent on the part of Israel. What the hell is Labor doing inviting someone like that to Australia? They talk big about stopping hate at our borders, using ministerial powers to refuse visas, but then send a special invite to Herzog. It shows what they really mean.

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

Senator Shoebridge, I remind you that this is a suspension order. It is absolutely okay for you to refer to the person you are talking about, but you also need to inform the chamber as to why you are moving this motion.

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

This is urgent. This needs to be before the Senate so that we rescind the invitation. He's coming next week. Over 500 prominent Australians, including former diplomats and public servants, took out a full-page advertisement calling this invitation, which will be happening next week, immoral and wrong. They're right. Hundreds of thousands of Australians have spent more than two years in the streets protesting genocide. They've marched, they've rallied peacefully and we've joined them. They are a great movement for humanity such that Australia has not seen before. They are the longest continuing mass protests across the country, and their core demand is peace. They've used their voice to say, 'Not in our name,' and how does this government respond? They wrap themselves around the head of state of the very country accused of committing those crimes.

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

Senator Shoebridge, I remind you again that you are talking about the suspension motion that you moved, not about the substantive motion which you weren't given leave to move.

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

These visits are happening next week, and in this parliament the government will try to shut down the debate. On the streets they will try to shut down the debate. They will try to stop us from saying, as is our right, that Herzog is not welcome and should not visit next week. They will try to ensure that someone who signed a bomb that was dropped on civilians in Gaza is shielded from even seeing the millions of people in this country who reject his actions. This government and other Labor governments around the country are simultaneously trying to restrict protest rights and suppress dissent, including in this chamber. Australia is a signatory to the genocide convention. That means we have moral obligations—not suggestions, not guidelines but obligations—to prevent genocide wherever it occurs.

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

Senator Shoebridge, once again I remind you to focus on why the suspension motion is necessary.

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

Next week this government is going to be providing the red carpet for a man who incited genocide, and the genocide isn't over; it's continuing today. During the so-called ceasefire, Israeli defence force attacks have killed over 500 people and injured more than 1,300 others, all while Isaac Herzog has been in power. I can't believe I have to say this: when someone is accused by the United Nations of inciting genocide, you don't invite them for tea. You don't give them a platform and you certainly don't welcome them as a guest of honour, next week, while suppressing the voices of those who object. The division this visit will cause isn't on the protesters. It isn't on the hundreds of thousands of Australians demanding their government live up to its values. The division next week's visit will cause is on this government for making a choice that betrays the Australian community's conscience and exposes this Labor government's moral cowardice.

History will judge this moment. It will judge whether we stood on the right side or whether we chose cynical pandering, to the US and its ally Israel, over justice. It will judge whether we listened to calls for justice or tried to silence them in here, on the street and in the media. I urge all members to support this motion to send a clear message that Australia will not be complicit in genocide. This invitation is immoral. It is wrong, and it's time we said so.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, too, rise to address what is meant to be a debate in relation to whether or not the Senate should suspend standing orders, but I have to say, despite Senator Shoebridge not quite addressing the actual question before the chair, I'm glad he gave the speech that he did. You see, this is the reason that the Liberal Party will not be supporting the suspension of standard orders. Unfortunately, what we've seen on, technically, the first day back for the sitting year—as we know, there are three certainties in life. The first is, unfortunately, death. The second is taxes. The third, as we just saw, is the Greens' hatred of Israel. As far as the Liberal Party is concerned, this is just another day, another stunt, in the lives of the Australian Greens, at the expense of us being able to move on to legislation that does need to be debated and passed in this place, and, as I said, we've barely commenced the parliamentary sitting year for 2026.

Unfortunately, this motion is entirely consistent with the Greens' approach to Israel. This is just another opportunity—and this was articulated in the speech—for the Australian Greens to grandstand, but it's more than that, and this is why we will not be supporting the suspension motion. This is merely an opportunity for the Australian Greens to import—or should I say 'attempt to import', because I do hope that the suspension motion does not get up—protest politics into the Senate chamber. It is just another effort by the Australian Greens to turn the Senate's procedures into a platform for performance—it wasn't a great performance, to be honest; I've seen you do better—rather than for serious debate.

Another reason that the suspension should not be supported is in relation to the hypocrisy of the motion that we currently have before the chamber and the actions less than two months after the Islamic terrorist attack in Bondi, in which, as we know, 15 Australians were brutally murdered. The Australian Greens are asking us to suspend standing orders to debate a motion that would stop the president of the only Jewish majority country in the world coming to Australia. This is of vital importance to the Jewish community, given the murder of 15 Jewish people.

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

Let's just ignore the genocide aspect.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You can see, from the parroting going on in the back here, that the Greens know this is of vital importance to the Jewish community, but two weeks ago they stood in this place and said they were in solidarity with the Jewish community. Well, asking for the suspension today—

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

Senator Cash, please resume your seat. Senator McKim?

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

My point of order is in relation to relevance. You were very strict in applying that criteria to Senator Shoebridge. I ask that you apply the same standards to Senator Cash, who's clearly not making an argument as to what—

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

Senator McKim, resume your seat. Firstly, I'm going to remind the Greens that Senator Shoebridge was heard in silence. I've called you to order twice already. Senator Cash has the right to be heard in silence. If you don't wish to hear her contribution, you may leave the chamber. Secondly, there is no point of order because Senator Cash is being directly relevant to the suspension motion. Please continue, Senator Cash.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, this is not a debate on the motion. This is a debate on whether there is urgency for the Senate to actually choose to suspend standing orders to allow the motion to be debated. As I said, the Senate should not play along with the theatrics and the acting of the Australian Greens. Let us be clear: this is a matter of foreign affairs. Australia's relationship with Israel should not be used as a prop, as it is being used, for parliamentary theatrics. Israel is a friend of Australia. Israel is a democratic partner. It is a strategic security partner. You don't have to agree with everything Israel says, obviously, but the Australian Greens do not want to debate.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The UN says it's genocide!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You can see it now.

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

Order! I have called you to order. Senator Shoebridge was heard in absolute silence, as Senator Cash will be and as any other speaker in this debate will be. If that doesn't suit you, leave the chamber. Senator Cash, please continue.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it's actually really disappointing because every person who comes into this chamber is able to express an opinion in relation to the question before the chair. As you said, President, Senator Shoebridge was heard in silence when he spoke of why there should be a suspension of standing orders. Unfortunately what the Australian people are now witnessing is the Australian Greens saying, 'It's my way or the highway.' Well, the bad news is that, in this case, we are not going to support the suspension. The fact that they're talking now shows that the Greens want to silence anybody who does not agree with them. Quite frankly, that is one of the reasons that this suspension motion should not go ahead. There are proper avenues for debate. There are proper ways to put views on the record. There are proper mechanisms for scrutiny and accountability. The way the Greens are behaving now is not one of them.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government does not support this suspension of standing orders. To be clear, the government doesn't support the content of this motion either. It's entirely appropriate for the Prime Minister to invite President Herzog following the Bondi attack targeting the Jewish community, which has devastated many families and the Jewish community across Australia. As Senator Cash pointed out, there are other opportunities for the Greens to advance these arguments in the Senate, including as a matter of public importance, as an urgency motion in the general business debate, in senators' statements or in the adjournment debate, rather than disrupting the important routine of business. I move:

That the question be now put.

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

The question is that the closure motion as moved by Senator Chisholm be agreed to.

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

The question now is that the suspension motion moved by Senator Shoebridge be agreed to.