Alan Ferguson (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I think Senator Ludwig has made the statement of the year, already, when he said that the government is in total disarray over this issue. Senator Stott Despoja came into the chamber with an urgency motion and gave a very confused speech to start with. Senator Nettle then spoke in support of the motion. Senator Ludwig then came in and said the opposition could not support the motion because it did not suit their particular needs. We had Senator Carr interjecting incessantly—and we know he hates America and all things American—and then the boss must have sent a message for Senator Ludwig. The boss is very right wing and purports to love everything American. And you say we are in disarray!

I cannot believe you, Senator Ludwig; I just cannot believe you. We are ‘in disarray’ yet you have a motion before the chair which you will not support and then, after a little bit of argy-bargy, you come back with a motion that you can all now support—and we did not hear either Senator Ludwig or Senator Kirk speak to the additional words—with the words ‘to face justice in Australia’. What I want to know is: how can David Hicks face justice in Australia? He has committed no crime in Australia that I know of, no crime whatsoever in Australia, so what justice is David Hicks going to face in Australia? It is just impossible. You have not thought this through. You have made your policy on the run.