Derryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Justice Party totally supports all the comments by Senator Wong, Senator Cormann and Senator Di Natale. I just want to place on record an action I took last night in this august chamber that I sincerely regret. Out of respect for this establishment I sat through the whole 30-minute diatribe, categorised as a first speech, from Senator Fraser Anning. I did not walk out, as one senator did during my first speech. At the time, I criticised the Greens for ostentatiously walking out on camera during Senator Hanson's first speech. I believe in free speech, especially in these houses of parliament, but there are limits. That is why I voted in favour of the censure motion yesterday of Senate Leyonhjelm, who made disgusting personal comments about Senator Hanson-Young.

I listened to Senator Anning's speech in full. It was one of the most disgraceful, racist, homophobic, divisive, misogynistic, spiteful and hateful speeches I have ever heard anywhere in 50 years in journalism. It was Pauline Hanson on steroids. As I said on the ABC today, I felt like I was trapped at a Ku Klux Klan rally. I want to apologise to the Senate and the Australian people that, after that vomitus poison last night, I then stupidly, recklessly and unthinkingly—no, I did think about it—followed Senate protocol and dutifully lined up here and shook this unworthy man's hand. I want to go on record and say I then went home and I washed my own.