Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In defending the census debacle, the Deputy PM said:

We've seen how divisive debates have played out across our country, and the last thing we want to do is inflict that debate on a sector of our community right now.

So, Prime Minister, if your government is so concerned about divisive debates, will you enact comprehensive vilification protections and appoint an LGBTQIA+ human rights commissioner and an equality minister?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Clark for his question and for his longstanding advocacy for members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We value every Australian, and every Australian should be valued regardless of their sexual orientation or their identity. That is really important. In the development of the 2026 census, the ABS came to the government with potential changes it planned to trial, including changes it had not itself recommended for the census. We paused the process to make sure that we get it right so that there aren't the sorts of implications that were contained in the question by the member for Clark. The truth is that, for many people—if they're marginalised in parts of Australian society, we don't want to add to that and to the pressure which is there.

We engaged with the community and had additional discussions with the ABS to make sure that we got the direction right, and I believe that we have and that we can move forward in a way that doesn't have precisely the unintended consequences that the Deputy Prime Minister was talking about. I would say it's the responsibility of everyone in this parliament to engage in debate respectfully and not to inflame community tensions. Sadly there are examples of that test being failed. The government will be introducing legislation this week to create new criminal offences and strengthen protections against hate crimes. These offences will protect the community, including the LGBTQIA+ community and other targeted groups, from the threat of force or violence and from those who would urge violence against them, which we know is only too real.

Our government supports the work of the Australian Human Rights Commission. We already have in place a commission which works to ensure that the human rights of all Australians, including those from the LGBTQIA+ community, are protected. That is really important, and my government will continue to be committed to that and continue to work with the community towards that objective.