Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Pursuant to contingent notice, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent Senator Di Natale moving a motion relating to the conduct of business of the Senate, namely a motion to provide for the consideration of the Discrimination Free Schools Bill 2018.

There is every chance that, with an impending election, we may not come back to parliament next year. The Liberal Party are in chaos. They are ripping each other apart over so many issues. Obviously, it is a party that has no climate policy and no energy policy. Now there's a rip-roaring debate inside the Liberal Party around the Ruddock review and around the freedom to openly discriminate against LGBTIQ communities.

We believe that right now—by supporting the passage of Greens legislation in this parliament—is the best opportunity to end discrimination once and for all. We know that this government can't be trusted to bring on legislation. We know that they can't be trusted not to leak documents to the media. They can't be trusted to keep their word. We've become accustomed to a government that says one thing and does another.

We are here to ensure that this parliament ends discrimination once and for all in our schools and in educational settings. We don't think it's acceptable in any area of the community. We don't believe there's any place for a school to tell a young person who may be gay or lesbian or struggling with their sexuality or gender identity that they're not welcome. We don't think there's any place for a school to tell a teacher who might be in a same-sex relationship, 'We don't think we can offer you a place in our school.' That's not what a country that supports every member of its community does. That's not what a country that recognises that that form of discrimination should be consigned to the 1950s does.

Now is the time when we should be able to work across party lines, with the Labor Party and the crossbench, to actually deliver legislation that will end discrimination once and for all. The Prime Minister came out and said he doesn't support religious schools being able to expel students based on their sexuality. That was a welcome announcement. I note that he was silent on the issue of teachers. The Leader of the Opposition also came out and said that he'll work to ensure that no child is denied human dignity. Well, here's your opportunity to ensure that every child—indeed, every person in this country—is afforded human dignity and that no child is expelled simply on the basis of their sexuality or gender identity. We have an opportunity now to protect young people and to protect teachers so that they continue in their learning environment or in their employment without the fear of being expelled simply because of who they are.

Of course, the message this sends to young people right across our community in the wake of that hateful and divisive plebiscite is: 'The way you feel is wrong. You as a person are not valued. There's something wrong with you.' We as a nation shouldn't stand for that. We should never accept that. We should be striving to end discrimination in all its forms wherever it is. That's why we are very proud to introduce a bill that says to every single child and teacher in the country: 'We stand with you. We value you. We love you for who you are.' Yet, what we have in this place so far are two parties who made hollow promises only a few short weeks ago and won't back it up with legislation.

Senator Pratt interjecting—

I'll take that interjection from Senator Pratt. If you support ending discrimination towards students and teachers, support this suspension motion so that we can debate the bill. It's no good to go out in front of the cameras and mouth empty words. Those words aren't given the force of law. That's what we're debating here right now: whether we will give every child and every teacher in Australia the comfort to know that they will be respected and loved and treated equally simply because of who they are, not because of some outdated legislation that sends a message—not just to them but to all people—that somehow the way they feel is wrong, or different. So I say to all of you in this chamber: support this suspension.