Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Hansard source

It is very true. It is funny; some people have been here for so long, they have been institutionalised, but they still do not know the standing orders. It is quite shameful. I thank you for pointing that out to Senator Hanson-Young, who has not graduated yet from the University of Adelaide school of politics, I think.

Nonetheless, the issue is that section 18C has been misused in recent times. I am yet to hear anyone in this place defend its misuse against the Queensland University of Technology students, and, if you cannot defend the use of a law, it is time to amend it. That is why I support the government's amendments to section 18C. I hope my amendments will be successful, but, if they are not successful, I will still support the bill; and, if the bill is not successful, I look forward to having a debate about simply removing 'insult' and 'offend' from section 18C, as per the bill that I have introduced into the Senate on two occasions. Thank you.