Patrick Dodson (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Senate)) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Attorney-General, Senator Cash. Yesterday, government senators supported a motion echoing a slogan used by white supremacists. The Attorney-General today issued a statement blaming his staff for the government's decision to support the motion. Last night, the Attorney-General backed in the vote by tweeting:

The Government Senators' actions in the Senate this afternoon confirm that the Government deplores racism of any kind.

The question is: how is backing in the government's support for a slogan used by white supremacists with a tweet consistent with the Attorney-General's claim that it was a mistake?