Sam Dastyari (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to acknowledge the very lovely contribution that Senator Reynolds made earlier today—it does feel like it's been more than one day!—on the issue of marriage equality. I want to acknowledge that before tearing apart the slanderous arguments she's been making since.

Senator Reynolds interjecting—

You started off well and it's been downhill since then. When is this government going to stop running a protection racket for One Nation—when? We saw what happened today. We are at a point now where questions are being written by the government for One Nation. Senator Reynolds is about to leave. I was going to make some fantastic rugby references but, unfortunately, I barely understand how that sport works, unlike you, Senator Reynolds. So I will not make an analogy.

But what I do want to say is this: One Nation has been given a blank cheque by this government time and time again. What is happening in Queensland is a precursor of what is to come—a 49-seat preference deal. It does not pass the believability test to turn around and say, 'There's no deal; it's just a coincidence'—just a coincidence that, in 49 seats of the 58 they're even bothering to contest, One Nation are preferencing the Liberal National Party. That's not a coincidence; that's a deal. That's what a deal looks like. I'm not sure it's a good deal but it's definitely a deal. One Nation are a dangerous, dangerous change to the type of political debate we're having in this country, and the step-up that they've been given by preference deals from the Liberal Party should be very, very concerning. On the weekend I was out in Sydney in the federal electorate of Bennelong.

Senator McKenzie interjecting—

I was in Bennelong on Saturday. It is an amazing community. I don't know why Senator McKenzie is saying such horrible things about it.

Senator McKenzie interjecting—

I withdraw that. Senator McKenzie was making a reference to regional Victoria.

Opposition senators interjecting—