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

And they're weak, as Senator Faruqi says. Show a bit of courage. Play the role of an opposition. Demonstrate that there's another view in this chamber that people can have faith in. But, if you're not prepared to do it, if you're going to roll over and if you're going to criticise this legislation, as you have rightly done through the Senate committee process, and then vote for it, we have no choice but to condemn both the Liberal and Labor parties for again taking us one step closer to a police state. This is bad legislation.

The media in this country understand that they are the next targets. Indeed, they are already being targeted. Peaceful protesters have known for years that this is a government that knows no bounds and that it is prepared to stop peaceful protests and to quash dissent in an effort to get its agenda through. You can stand up with the community or you can roll over and support what the government is proposing. It is the Greens who will stand up to this government's agenda. It is the Greens who are the real opposition.

Debate interrupted.