All changes made to the description and title of this division.

View division | Edit description

Change Division
senate vote 2017-02-14#1

Edited by mackay staff

on 2017-03-11 22:55:14

Title

  • Motions Q Society Fundraiser
  • Motions - Q Society Fundraiser - Hate speech and political parties

Description

  • <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p>
  • <p>I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 210 standing in my name relating to hate speech.</p>
  • <p>Leave granted.</p>
  • The majority voted in favour of a [motion](http://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2017-02-14.103.3) introduced by Greens Leader [Richard Di Natale](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/victoria/richard_di_natale) (Vic), which means it succeeded.
  • Motions like these don't have any legal force - they don't change our laws or force the Government to do anything - but they do represent the will of the Senate and so can be politically influential.
  • This motion called for all leaders of all political parties to condemn hate-speech in all forms, with particular focus on the Liberal Party of Australia.
  • ### Motion text
  • > *That the Senate—*
  • > *(a) condemns the actions of [Mr Christensen](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/dawson/george_christensen) MP and [Senator Bernardi](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/sa/cory_bernardi) in attending the [Q Society of Australia Inc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_Society_of_Australia) fundraising dinner in Melbourne even after learning of the deeply homophobic and Islamophobic nature of the Sydney event;*
  • > *(b) notes that Prime Minister [Mr Malcolm Turnbull's](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/wentworth/malcolm_turnbull) failure to rein in Mr Christensen MP fails to reassure the LGBTI community and people of Islamic faith that the Prime Minister and the Coalition value diversity and equality;*
  • > *(c) notes that [Senator Hanson](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/queensland/pauline_hanson) was expelled from the Liberal Party for her racist views;*
  • > *(d) calls on the Prime Minister to condemn Mr Christensen MP for attending the Q Society event; and*
  • > *(e) calls on all leaders of all political parties to condemn hate-speech in all forms.*
  • <p>I move the motion as amended:</p>
  • <p class="italic">That the Senate&#8212;</p>
  • <p class="italic">(a) condemns the actions of Mr Christensen MP and Senator Bernardi in attending the Q Society of Australia Inc fundraising dinner in Melbourne even after learning of the deeply homophobic and Islamophobic nature of the Sydney event;</p>
  • <p class="italic">(b) notes that Prime Minister Mr Malcolm Turnbull's failure to rein in Mr Christensen MP fails to reassure the LGBTI community and people of Islamic faith that the Prime Minister and the Coalition value diversity and equality;</p>
  • <p class="italic">(c) notes that Senator Hanson was expelled from the Liberal Party for her racist views;</p>
  • <p class="italic">(d) calls on the Prime Minister to condemn Mr Christensen MP for attending the Q Society event; and</p>
  • <p class="italic">(e) calls on all leaders of all political parties to condemn hate-speech in all forms.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">James McGrath</p>
  • <p>I seek leave to make a short statement.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Stephen Parry</p>
  • <p>Leave is granted for one minute.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">James McGrath</p>
  • <p>This is yet another cheap Green stunt. We are the most successful multicultural society in the world. This motion seeks to divide rather than unite.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p>
  • <p>I seek leave to make a short statement.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Stephen Parry</p>
  • <p>Leave is granted for one minute.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p>
  • <p>There was a time when views expressed by people like Mr Christensen were not welcome in this place. There was a time when there was a consensus that we as a vibrant, diverse multicultural society accepted that there was no place for racism in the Australian parliament. Indeed, it was the time when Senator Hanson herself was disendorsed from the Liberal Party for her racist and bigoted views. Now we have Mr Christensen attending an event where people boast of throwing gay people from buildings; where there is outright hostility and hatred towards people of the Islamic faith. We now have the spectacle where the Liberal Party are preferencing One Nation, really signalling the complete capitulation of the modern Liberal Party, who have endorsed, through their actions, the views of people like Senator Hanson. Racism and bigotry should have no place in the Australian parliament.</p>
  • <p class="speaker">Stephen Parry</p>
  • <p>The question is that the motion moved by Senator Di Natale be agreed to.</p>