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Pauline Hanson rails against 'reverse racism' as Senate debates free speech – politics live Pauline Hanson rails against 'reverse racism' as Senate debates free speech – politics live
(35 minutes later)
12.33am GMT
00:33
Pauline Hanson: “I’ve had it up to here with my tolerance”
Pauline Hanson says she is not racist then adds she has "HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH MY TOLERANCE" #auspol pic.twitter.com/AGuTVPgpFh
Updated
at 12.33am GMT
12.31am GMT
00:31
Labor-Coalition agree to new PMC vote with backpacker bills done before 2pm
There will be a recommital of the vote on the passenger movement charge last night.
This has happened because Labor and the Coalition have come to an agreement.
This is the longstanding practice in the senate. It allows the government to clean up the mess of last night’s vote, which went down due to One Nation not realising the vote was on.
We understand the agreement means the backpackers bills will be debated AND VOTED ON before question time.
In theory.
12.22am GMT
00:22
Pat Dodson: "It's interesting that bigotry is back in favour"
12.19am GMT
00:19
Pauline Hanson has taken issue with Pat Dodson, who discussed his experience prior to the 1967 referendum that decided to count Indigenous people in the census. Dodson said the federal government didn’t even have the power to make laws for Indigenous Australians so the battle for freedom to access basic rights was real to him.
Hanson, however, linked it to the White Australia policy and said that policy was not aimed at Indigenous people but was aimed at the Chinese who were bringing in opium.
Is it really going to far to have an opinion that we offend, insult or intimidate others?
I’ve had it up to here with my tolerance.
But:
I welcome anyone who has come to this country to join us, assimilate and enjoy our way of life.
Updated
at 12.42am GMT
11.56pm GMT11.56pm GMT
23:5623:56
Pauline Hanson is up now.Pauline Hanson is up now.
She is talking about the speeches relating to racism. Her first husband was Polish. She had a Laotian woman working in the fish and chip shop. She rented out a property to an Aboriginal family.She is talking about the speeches relating to racism. Her first husband was Polish. She had a Laotian woman working in the fish and chip shop. She rented out a property to an Aboriginal family.
Respect must be earned.Respect must be earned.
Hanson goes through the migration history in Australia.Hanson goes through the migration history in Australia.
She says Greeks and Italians used to be called wogs. They took it in that good Aussie way.She says Greeks and Italians used to be called wogs. They took it in that good Aussie way.
Racism is when someone thinks one race is superior over another, she says.Racism is when someone thinks one race is superior over another, she says.
I am fed up with people in and out of the house calling me a racist when they cannot find one thing that I have said that is racist, she says.I am fed up with people in and out of the house calling me a racist when they cannot find one thing that I have said that is racist, she says.
Hanson says she has been called a pig in mud and white trash and the newspapers printed it.Hanson says she has been called a pig in mud and white trash and the newspapers printed it.
I could have taken it up but I never did. What I am hearing here is all one-sided.I could have taken it up but I never did. What I am hearing here is all one-sided.
Hanson says the QUT students highlighted something that was racist - a computer room that was only allowed to be used by Indigenous peopleHanson says the QUT students highlighted something that was racist - a computer room that was only allowed to be used by Indigenous people
It’s come down in Australia to reverse racism.It’s come down in Australia to reverse racism.
She says as a politician she is protected inside the chamber but Australians who are outside are not.She says as a politician she is protected inside the chamber but Australians who are outside are not.
We can’t have an opinion. We cant say anything any more.We can’t have an opinion. We cant say anything any more.
11.49pm GMT11.49pm GMT
23:4923:49
Nothing wrong with freedom particularly if you are from the ruling classNothing wrong with freedom particularly if you are from the ruling class
11.44pm GMT11.44pm GMT
23:4423:44
Senators Derryn Hinch and Liberal senator James Patterson have also spoken.Senators Derryn Hinch and Liberal senator James Patterson have also spoken.
Hinch talked a lot about the Bill Leak cartoon of an Indigenous father, his son and an Indigenous policeman.Hinch talked a lot about the Bill Leak cartoon of an Indigenous father, his son and an Indigenous policeman.
I am offended and insulted that we have any law in this country which is a bad law. I am offended and insulted that such emotive and subjective words as offend and insult can be on our lawbooks. With freedom of speech, you have to stand alongside with people whose opinions you don’t share.I am offended and insulted that we have any law in this country which is a bad law. I am offended and insulted that such emotive and subjective words as offend and insult can be on our lawbooks. With freedom of speech, you have to stand alongside with people whose opinions you don’t share.
The Hansonites, you don’t share their opinion, but it is freedom of speech. But when you try to make martyrs and block it and shut it down, then it is dangerous.The Hansonites, you don’t share their opinion, but it is freedom of speech. But when you try to make martyrs and block it and shut it down, then it is dangerous.
11.31pm GMT11.31pm GMT
23:3123:31
Pat Dodson said the Labor party would stand shoulder to shoulder with communities across the country against changes to 18c.Pat Dodson said the Labor party would stand shoulder to shoulder with communities across the country against changes to 18c.
He says the Coalition forget that this debate is about human beings, people of different cultures who are Australians, “who have all sorts of different ways of interpreting English”.He says the Coalition forget that this debate is about human beings, people of different cultures who are Australians, “who have all sorts of different ways of interpreting English”.
Here are more fulsome quotes that give you a flavour of the speech.Here are more fulsome quotes that give you a flavour of the speech.
English has its own form of tyranny and that tyranny is what causes wars, assaults, arguments and violence and the speakers who grow up with English have to understand that that is not the only frame of reference through which the world is interpreted.English has its own form of tyranny and that tyranny is what causes wars, assaults, arguments and violence and the speakers who grow up with English have to understand that that is not the only frame of reference through which the world is interpreted.
Because there’s no clear definition, it seems to me, of what constitutes whiteness and the culture of whiteness. We talk of all sorts of other people that make up the Australian nation. Chinese, Indians, Lebanese, all sorts of people, Africans, who are part of the Australian population, who bring with their cultures a richness to this nation.Because there’s no clear definition, it seems to me, of what constitutes whiteness and the culture of whiteness. We talk of all sorts of other people that make up the Australian nation. Chinese, Indians, Lebanese, all sorts of people, Africans, who are part of the Australian population, who bring with their cultures a richness to this nation.
Instead of us moving in a way to accept and appropriate the better things of their cultures, we seek to continually divide and create ways to sustain divisions and sustain the denigration of our fellow Australians.Instead of us moving in a way to accept and appropriate the better things of their cultures, we seek to continually divide and create ways to sustain divisions and sustain the denigration of our fellow Australians.
Nothing wrong with freedom, particularly if you are from the ruling class. There’s a hell of a lot wrong with freedom if you’ve got to battle to experience it. If you’ve got to fight for it.Nothing wrong with freedom, particularly if you are from the ruling class. There’s a hell of a lot wrong with freedom if you’ve got to battle to experience it. If you’ve got to fight for it.
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.46pm GMTat 11.46pm GMT
11.18pm GMT11.18pm GMT
23:1823:18
Labor senator Pat Dodson is speaking on Leyonhjelm’s Racial Discrimination Act.Labor senator Pat Dodson is speaking on Leyonhjelm’s Racial Discrimination Act.
He is giving an amazing speech on the the bill, which I will get as soon as I can.He is giving an amazing speech on the the bill, which I will get as soon as I can.
To be clear, the bill goes much further than the first Abbott changes to amend 18C and D. It removes a whole part of the act. This part.To be clear, the bill goes much further than the first Abbott changes to amend 18C and D. It removes a whole part of the act. This part.
PART IIA--PROHIBITION OF OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR BASED ON RACIAL HATREDPART IIA--PROHIBITION OF OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR BASED ON RACIAL HATRED
18B. Reason for doing an act18B. Reason for doing an act
18C. Offensive behaviour because of race, colour or national or ethnic origin18C. Offensive behaviour because of race, colour or national or ethnic origin
18D. Exemptions18D. Exemptions
18E. Vicarious liability18E. Vicarious liability
18F. State and Territory laws not affected18F. State and Territory laws not affected
Pat Dodson says the whole debate about 18C fails to take into account the fabric of the nation and the message it sends.Pat Dodson says the whole debate about 18C fails to take into account the fabric of the nation and the message it sends.
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.46pm GMTat 11.46pm GMT
11.06pm GMT11.06pm GMT
23:0623:06
Peter Dutton: I have been misrepresentedPeter Dutton: I have been misrepresented
Nick McKim has spoken to Sky News this morning, where he was asked about Peter Dutton’s comments regarding Lebanese Muslim Australians and Anne Aly’s threatening emails.Nick McKim has spoken to Sky News this morning, where he was asked about Peter Dutton’s comments regarding Lebanese Muslim Australians and Anne Aly’s threatening emails.
He has said the following:He has said the following:
We’re not disputing the numbers that [Dutton] quoted. Undoubtedly the advice he’s got is accurate. But just because something is fact doesn’t mean that it’s reasonable or productive to talk about it ...We’re not disputing the numbers that [Dutton] quoted. Undoubtedly the advice he’s got is accurate. But just because something is fact doesn’t mean that it’s reasonable or productive to talk about it ...
So what we’ve got is a deliberate attack from Mr Dutton by quoting these numbers on a particular subsection of the Australian community. In this case Lebanese Muslim Australians.So what we’ve got is a deliberate attack from Mr Dutton by quoting these numbers on a particular subsection of the Australian community. In this case Lebanese Muslim Australians.
Peter Dutton has come out on the strength of that, five minutes ago.Peter Dutton has come out on the strength of that, five minutes ago.
It is a particular character flaw of Mr Shorten that he would seek to misrepresent my words to try and gain political advantage. He has upset people within the community and he has deliberately done that. His conduct has been sneaky and tricky. It has been underhanded. Mr Shorten has a lot to answer for.It is a particular character flaw of Mr Shorten that he would seek to misrepresent my words to try and gain political advantage. He has upset people within the community and he has deliberately done that. His conduct has been sneaky and tricky. It has been underhanded. Mr Shorten has a lot to answer for.
And then:And then:
As the Greens have, I noticed comments by Senator McKim this morning saying what I have said is correct, it is factual, it is reasonable but that we shouldn’t speak about it.As the Greens have, I noticed comments by Senator McKim this morning saying what I have said is correct, it is factual, it is reasonable but that we shouldn’t speak about it.
Twenty-four hours ago the Greens were saying I was a racist and bigot. I want to have an honest discussion. I did that in all of the remarks I have had and that I have made in relation to what is a very important topic.Twenty-four hours ago the Greens were saying I was a racist and bigot. I want to have an honest discussion. I did that in all of the remarks I have had and that I have made in relation to what is a very important topic.
I have repeated it again this morning. I won’t step back from this. The vast majority of Lebanese Australians are law-abiding, hard-working, good, decent people who are besmirched by the small element within the community who are doing the wrong thing.I have repeated it again this morning. I won’t step back from this. The vast majority of Lebanese Australians are law-abiding, hard-working, good, decent people who are besmirched by the small element within the community who are doing the wrong thing.
I made that clear. The fact that Mr Shorten would seek to misrepresent it shows he has been tricky but he has been caught out.I made that clear. The fact that Mr Shorten would seek to misrepresent it shows he has been tricky but he has been caught out.
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.11pm GMTat 11.11pm GMT
10.53pm GMT10.53pm GMT
22:5322:53
David Leyonhjelm is speaking on his private bill to amend the Racial Discrimination Act.David Leyonhjelm is speaking on his private bill to amend the Racial Discrimination Act.
He has travelled through philosophers, discussed his experience when the Chaser crew went to his home with his own Wicked van after he defended Wicked’s right to free speech.He has travelled through philosophers, discussed his experience when the Chaser crew went to his home with his own Wicked van after he defended Wicked’s right to free speech.
Leyonhjelm said, regarding the Chaser case:Leyonhjelm said, regarding the Chaser case:
Free speech does not require me to find them amusing.Free speech does not require me to find them amusing.
He said it not require a lot of effort to find out where the Chaser team live and put offensive signs outside their houses.He said it not require a lot of effort to find out where the Chaser team live and put offensive signs outside their houses.
He said if their response was to tell the good senator to F off, he would be happy but Leyonhjelm suggested they would run off to “nanny government”.He said if their response was to tell the good senator to F off, he would be happy but Leyonhjelm suggested they would run off to “nanny government”.
UpdatedUpdated
at 10.58pm GMTat 10.58pm GMT
10.29pm GMT
22:29
Someone in the thread mentioned private members’ bills.
As it happens, there are two first up in the Senate this morning before they get to government business.
Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm et al have a bill to amend the Racial Discrimination Act, which he calls the Free Speech Bill 2016.
This is a bill which:
Amends the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 to repeal Part IIA, which prohibits offensive behaviour based on racial hatred.
Given the support for this in sections of the Coalition, there could be an interesting debate in the senate this morning.
The Greens senator Larissa Waters has a bill on Landholders’ Right to Refuse (Gas and Coal).
This bill would give landholders the right to refuse gas and coal mining activities by corporations on their land without prior written authorisation. Waters has tried this before. It is a bit like a dare to the National party as well as the substantive issue. Do you support landholders? So far the Nats have not bitten.
These bills will be debated for just over two hours this morning. We won’t see the backpackers bills in the senate until after midday. Remember Senate question time happens at 2pm so then backpacker debate will not come back until late afternoon.
Updated
at 10.40pm GMT
10.22pm GMT
22:22
Feeding the chooks.
Updated
at 10.31pm GMT
10.19pm GMT
22:19
The beautiful voices of the Canberra Choral Society.
10.13pm GMT
22:13
Both chambers of the parliament sit at 9.30am. Already, spies who know stuff suggest building staff are being consulted about roster changes in case the government decides to push through into Friday or next week.
Parliament sits Monday to Thursday next week but may extend.
Of course, these rumours happen every year but ...
Updated
at 10.31pm GMT
10.11pm GMT
22:11
The king of Jordan, Abdullah II Ibn Al- Hussein is in the building, just so you know.
10.08pm GMT
22:08
Nick Xenophon and his two senators support the 19% tax rate only if unemployed Australians are able to earn up to $5000 for seasonal work without losing welfare benefits. So far the indications are good, he says.
We cannot understand why some of my colleagues won’t support the view that we should have as many Australians out there picking fruit. Right now the system is full of disincentives for people on welfare to give it a go to do the seasonal work.
10.02pm GMT
22:02
Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm is on Sky. He says Pauline Hanson and Brian Burston thought the bells that signal votes and quorums was for a quorum rather than a vote. He says it was a simple case of missing the vote.
Leyonhjelm does not support the passenger movement charge or the increase in the backpacker tax.
If the backpacker bills don’t pass before the parliament rises, treasurer Scott Morrison has been stating that the rate reverts to 32.5%.
However this rate is for non-residents.
The sticking point is that many backpackers claim they are residents, which means they would pay zero because they would get the tax free threshold.
If they claim resident status, they are supposed to reside in the same place for more than six months. If they are on a working holiday maker visa, they can’t stay in once place for more than six months.
There was a recent Administrative Appeals Tribunal decision that said backpackers should be treated as non-residents - meaning they should pay 32.5%.
If that AAT decision holds, it would mean if the backpacker bills don’t pass, the rate will revert to 32.5% - as Morrison says.
But if backpackers keep claiming residency for tax purposes (and many use tax agents who specialise in this), then their rate will revert to zero.
And even though they do not qualify for this rate, while the tax office chase each of them down once they leave?
You can see how this complexity can be used by both sides to muddy the waters.
Leyonhjelm’s view is that the rate will return to zero because the AAT case hinged on backpackers with quite unusual circumstances.
The bulk of them won’t get caught [by the higher rate].
9.31pm GMT
21:31
Elsewhere in Canberra:
lake burley griffin pic.twitter.com/iSncKac2M0
9.31pm GMT
21:31
Barnaby Joyce has been speaking to Fran Kelly about the backpacker tax which is the main game in the Senate today.
Kelly asks whether he is worried that thetax will impact on the National party vote after it lost the safe NSW seat of Orange. She is thinking particularly of Queensland, where everyone from George Brandis down is predicting One Nation will win a swath of seats at the next state election.
Joyce does not go to the substantive question.
If you are looking for a policy to stop complete acts of political bastardry I don’t know what that is. What is the policy to stop Bill Shorten from blowing the show up, making actions that he doesn’t believe in, that he just wants to drag the show down into the gutter.
How does this work? He is supposed to be the alternative leader of the nation. He’s not supposed to play dice with Australia’s regional industries and that is what he is doing.
Joyce will not say whether he will compromise between his 19% rate and the Lambie/Labor rate of 10.5%.
Re Orange, he feels people can differentiate between federal and state issues. He named council amalgamations and the greyhound racing ban as strong factors there. Joyce came out against the greyhound ban.
I got myself into more strife than the early settlers because I didn’t support it ... On the backpackers issue, they can see we are trying our best.
Updated
at 9.39pm GMT
9.04pm GMT
21:04
One Nation: where the bloody hell are you?
Good morning, dear reader,
Last night the glorious voices of the Canberra Choral Society rang out in the members’ hall of Parliament House, with the Financial Review journalist Laura Tingle. The crossbenchers – looking anything but cross – stumped up for their Christmas party and we were promised an early night in the Senate.
The government had started its backpacker tax package. It included a 19% tax rate for working holidaymakers and a $5 increase in the passenger movement charge. These are separate bills.
The government knew it had the numbers on the charge so it thought it would whack it through and get it out of the way.
But alas, the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, and her fellow senator Brian Burston went missing in action. Down went the vote 30-31.
Which must have galled the treasurer, Scott Morrison, who has been rolling it uphill with a pointy stick, trying to sell the charge to his former tourism industry. The tourism industry has stubbornly resisted but really has no choice.
Which must have left, Morrison yelling “Where the bloody hell are you?” – his very own Lara Bingle campaign line.
The government will probably hold a rerun of the vote today. This morning Labor’s Anthony Albanese has called for the government to drop the charge. That will not happen.
The rest of the backpacker’s package all passed through the second-reading stage and the bills will now go to committee process today, where other senators get to ask the minister in charge questions.
I have put in a call to One Nation to ask why they missed the vote but, as yet, it is to no avail. The party has released a statement saying that once the $5 charge is increased they want a freeze on it for five years.
This is a last-minute change. It also comes after the tourism lobby, the Tourism and Transport Forum, held its annual event. Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten were both speakers, as were other ministers. Hanson was on a panel late in the afternoon. Furious lobbying would have ensued.
So stay with us for the day. Talk to us in the thread, or on the Twits @gabriellechan and @mpbowers or my Facebook page. Keep calm and carry on.
Updated
at 9.22pm GMT