Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

Emphatically, yes. With every right come responsibilities, and with the right to freedom of speech is the responsibility to use it in a way that brings harmony to our society, that brings peace to our society and that is reflective of the broader values of our society. Senator Anning, through you, Mr President, the way in which you have conducted yourself in the time since the massacre occurred in Christchurch—that terrible tragedy that this Senate and the other place came together earlier today to reflect upon, to mourn and to pay respect but also to strongly condemn the actions of a violent madman who undertook that—betrays the rights you have to freedom of speech and shows a lack of responsibility in the way you have conducted yourself. The lack of compassion you have shown demonstrates, frankly, a basic lack of basic humanity. Lives were lost, families were ruined, a community was devastated and, rather than rightly reflecting upon the terrible act that occurred and the loss of life that occurred, you instead acted in a way that was inflammatory, that was divisive and that, indeed, fuels, potentially, further acts of terror and violence. In doing so, Senator, you have shown a reckless disregard for your fellow Australians and many others around the world. In doing so, you have failed the test of character I would expect of anybody who is elected to this place. So, yes, Senator, we all have the right to freedom of speech.