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

Senator Rice, we accept that Mr Joyce and the other business leaders who signed that letter—all of whom, by the way, have said that they did so not on behalf of their firms and companies but expressing a personal point of view as community leaders—are entitled to their point of view. They are perfectly entitled to their point of view. One of the great differences that divides the two sides of politics in Australia these days is their attitudes to freedom of speech. Those on my side of this chamber support it; those on your side of the chamber only support it when the people say something that you approve of. But the fact is, Senator Rice, that if we had had a plebiscite we would have given to every single Australian the right to have their say—the very right which you defend in the case of Mr Joyce and the other 33 business leaders.