Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave of the House to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes that:

  (a) on 25 August 2020, the Member for Hughes gave a speech in the Federation Chamber supporting the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19;

  (b) in his speech, the Member said that "media bias", "groupthink" and the "complete abandonment of reason" were driving a "war" on hydroxychloroquine and "the big hand of government … interfer[ing] in a doctor-patient relationship", and cited a number of medical commentators including:

     (i) Professor Christian Perronne, who is being investigated by the French College of Physicians for his comments on hydroxychloroquine;

     (ii) Dr Harvey Risch, who was rebuked by 25 Yale University colleagues for promoting "conspiracy theories, purported hoaxes, and the views of zealots"; and

     (iii) Dr Kulvinder Gill, who was criticised by other Canadian doctors for misleading tweets on hydroxychloroquine;

  (c) in Australia, potential therapies are assessed for safety and efficacy by the independent Therapeutic Goods Administration, and the TGA "strongly discourages the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 … or prevent COVID-19"; and—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McMahon will just pause for a second. I've made this point previously about motions. I have been looking at the clock. A motion—the majority of it—needs to contain a concise proposition the House can determine. The member for McMahon, I can see, has one page—I hope it's only one.

An opposition member interjecting—

No, I'm just going to make my point. It's been a while since we sat, and he's in company with a number of others. If this persists, I'll need to take action to return to the practice of many decades ago. The member for McMahon needs to come to what the proposition is, not debate in the way that he would at other times during the day.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand, and I appreciate that. The motion continues:

  (d) the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, comprised of 29 peak health bodies, has also advised that "hydroxychloroquine is potentially harmful and no more effective than standard care"; and

(2) affirms that it is the responsibility of all public officeholders to acknowledge and support the independence and expertise of the TGA and counter misinformation and conspiracy theories.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for McMahon from moving the following motion—That the House:

(1) notes that:

  (a) on 25 August 2020, the Member for Hughes gave a speech in the Federation Chamber supporting the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19;

  (b) in his speech, the Member said that "media bias", "groupthink" and the "complete abandonment of reason" were driving a "war" on hydroxychloroquine and "the big hand of government … interfer[ing] in a doctor-patient relationship", and cited a number of medical commentators including:

     (i) Professor Christian Perronne, who is being investigated by the French College of Physicians for his comments on hydroxychloroquine;

     (ii) Dr Harvey Risch, who was rebuked by 25 Yale University colleagues for promoting "conspiracy theories, purported hoaxes, and the views of zealots"; and

     (iii) Dr Kulvinder Gill, who was criticised by other Canadian doctors for misleading tweets on hydroxychloroquine;

  (c) in Australia, potential therapies are assessed for safety and efficacy by the independent Therapeutic Goods Administration, and the TGA "strongly discourages the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 … or prevent COVID-19"; and

  (d) the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce, comprised of 29 peak health bodies, has also advised that "hydroxychloroquine is potentially harmful and no more effective than standard care"; and

(2) affirms that it is the responsibility of all public officeholders to acknowledge and support the independence and expertise of the TGA and counter misinformation and conspiracy theories.

These are difficult times. There is a lot of misinformation—

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the member for McMahon be no further heard.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Mike Freelander (Macarthur, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion. The member for Hughes is the most dangerous man in this parliament. He rants—

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

A division having been called, the bells having been rung and an incident having occurred in the chamber—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Shortland is warned. The question is that the member for Macarthur be no further heard.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They never tried to shut down the member for Hughes peddling conspiracy theories, but they shut down people wanting to defend medical advice and they shut down people defending the TGA.

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the question be now put.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion be put.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by the member for McMahon be disagreed to.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence—Just following the process we have been using for members of the crossbench who aren't able to be here for votes, I received a text during the last divisions that the member for Melbourne, had he been here, would have voted with the opposition on those three divisions.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's no problem, and of course both whips deal with those matters for those large numbers of members who are paired or can't be here.