Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As I said, Senator McKim is a man normally trapped forever in a first-year-arts-student mentality. We are used to him playing his cards most disingenuously. However, today I think that he has gone to new lows; he has sunk to new depths. His treatment of Senator O'Sullivan was nothing short of appalling. And then shutting down the debate in this chamber—the place that is supposed to be a contest of ideas—was nothing less than disgraceful. I can't understand what it is that Senator McKim is frightened of. This is a debate worth having. And you, Senator McKim, are a representative of a party that apparently upholds the virtues of freedom of speech and yet at the same time shuts down debate in the place where the contest of ideas should occur. I cannot understand what it is that you fear so much about this—