Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

( I entered the chamber last night and was immediately assaulted by a phrase which will live in my memory forever: a 'final solution to the immigration problem'. I sat transfixed. My blood ran cold, as hate poured forth into this place and brought it low. I felt myself sullied, and I sit here this morning dismayed. It is right that we now move to condemn Senator Anning for his disgraceful words, but it is also critical that we here recognise and reflect upon the fact that Senator Anning's words were not an aberration but were, in fact, a culmination. They were the final opening of a door that has been gradually prised ajar by every single person in this place who made the decision to play on people's fears for their personal gain. It is an indictment of every single one of us who has given credence to the language of assimilation, who has spoken of the dangers of our cities and our towns being swamped by immigrants and who has given any semblance of credit to the idea that those who come across the sea do so with anything other than the intent to build a life, to love and to experience the freedom that we here have so enjoyed and so prospered under.

It is our responsibility to show leadership in our roles, to move the debate in this nation to a higher plane, and last night I was reminded not only of this individual's profound failure but of our collective failure and of the urgent need for us to do better in the future. I thank the chamber for its time.