George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I join with Senator Collins's observations on this rare occasion. Senator Ludlam, speaking as a middle-aged white man to you, another middle-aged white man, I do not think the gender or the age demographic or the ethnicity of the members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has any bearing at all on their capacity to deliberate wisely in the interests of the Australian people. The remark was quite a silly one, I am bound to say.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security is arguably the most respected committee of the parliament, and always has been. It is usually, or in general, comprises the most senior members drawn from both sides of politics. And at the time this proposal was developed, Senator Ludlam, it also contained an Independent, Mr Andrew Wilkie—by the way, another middle-aged white man—whose views you seem not to find as offensive, notwithstanding his exotic gender, age demographic and ethnicity.

People like Senator John Faulkner from the Labor Party and Mr Phillip Ruddock from the Liberal Party—people who had seen long experience in portfolios related to matters of national security and intelligence—have always been the gravamen or weight of this committee. And it is very poor form of you, Senator, to reflect upon the committee.

Senator Xenophon, I know you are enamoured of American models. The PJCIS does not have the same powers as the American senate intelligence committee—that is true—but this Senate does not have the same powers as the US senate, for that matter. We have different systems, and I would encourage you not to be so enamoured of the American system merely because it is the American system. Not that I equate you with the subject of this song, but I remind you of the quatrain of the Lord High Executioner in The Mikado, who speaks of 'the idiot who praises, with enthusiastic tone, all centuries but this, and every country but his own'. You should not assume that just because it is American it is better than what we have in Australia.