Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Regional Communications (Senator McKenzie) and the Minister for Finance (Senator Cormann) to questions without notice asked by Senators Brown and Cameron today relating to GST distribution and to Senator Molan.

What a performance today. What a performance from Senator Cormann trying to defend what is the worst start ever for any senator in this place—the start that Senator Molan has had. Senator Molan continues to refuse to apologise for propagating racist, bigoted posts from a white supremacist organisation. This is the same organisation whose sympathiser—a British Britain First sympathiser—killed British MP Jo Cox. That's the type of propaganda that Senator Molan is putting on his Facebook posts. I think it's absolutely ridiculous.

And I see now it's being reported online that Senator Molan has been retweeting parts of the Voice of Europe, which is seen as a Russian propaganda site. Senator Molan is retweeting them! And what's it about? It's about immigration and it's about Muslims. This senator really needs to get his act together. He is not a general in the Australian Army; he is a backbench senator. He has responsibilities to this place and he has responsibilities to the Australian community to act in the best interests of Australia. He has not been doing that and his behaviour is absolutely reprehensible. He has been retweeting the Voice of Europe. He retweeted:

Shocking: Belgian fairground owner has to hide bikini images because they could offend Muslims

This is a former general in the Australian Army deeming to retweet this nonsense, creating division in this country. He retweeted:

Poland Right in Refusal to Accept Muslim Migrants Amid Latest Attacks – Official

This is a senator who just seems to be obsessed with the Muslim community in this country.

I have to say that there is another former general who is active in public life in this country, and that's former General Duncan Lewis, who is the ASIO chief. Former General Duncan Lewis actually said in budget estimates in October 2017:

Stereotyping any group as a source of threat is not helpful. It is behaviour, not background, which ASIO is investigating.

There is a real general. There is a general of the Australian Army that understand the issues and understands the importance of making sure that there is a cohesive society. He goes on to say:

There are more than half a million Australian Muslims. Of these—and I've said this in this committee before—less than 0.1 of 1 per cent, so one-tenth of 1 per cent, are the subject of security interest. If you flip that, more than 99.9 per cent of Australian Muslims are of no security interest to my organisation.

Yet here we have Senator Molan, who has been described online as the Steven Bradbury of the Senate. This Steven Bradbury has got here after all these other people falling down, roundabout. No wonder he was so far down the list in the Liberal Party of New South Wales preferred candidates! Yet he is here, propagating this nonsense, propagating division in this society and propagating views that are unacceptable in this place.

This man should not be defended. He should be apologising to the Australian Senate. He should be apologising to the Australian public. And if he won't do it then the Prime Minister should make him do it. And if the Prime Minister doesn't have the guts to do that then he is not deserving to be Prime Minister of this country. What we should be about is multiculturalism. (Time expired)