Russell Broadbent (Monash, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's hard to move against the herd. When I questioned refugee treatment in Australia and Australia's responsibility, the herd were not happy. When I removed the debt incurred by former refugees in detention, the herd were not happy. When I questioned the vaccine response in Australia, the herd were not happy. They're not happy now. I just want to say that, in all my time in parliament, I've never stepped back from any of those decisions that I've taken or any of the decisions that I've taken on behalf of people who couldn't speak for themselves: for firemen, who need to be recognised for the carcinogenic properties that they face as firemen in Australia. We changed the law in this country so that they wouldn't have to prove their carcinogenic problems that they had.

The herd is not always the way to go. I will at every opportunity stand for my people who come to me and, like many other members of parliament, I am prepared to listen very carefully to what the minority in the community is saying. If they have a case, their case needs to be heard, and I will continue to prosecute the case on behalf of minorities.

See this speech in context