Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] What a political stunt this is. It was handled in the lower house. It was raised by the Labor Party and it was put to the vote. The coalition government supported Labor's motion in the lower house. So it was dealt with there to throw George Christensen under the bus. But Senator Wong has to make her stance here to actually keep the debate going. So it's a political stunt, as far as I am concerned.

Actually, Senator Wong, I feel a bit insulted that my name wasn't on the list as well, along with Senators Canavan and Rennick. I just don't understand where you are headed with all this. I know what it's like to have been thrown under the bus, because it's happened to me over the years by politicians who stand high and mighty. People who have been elected to parliament have a right to stand up and have their say and have a view, as on Kyle and Jackie O's program last week. I missed out on giving an opinion, and Kyle said: 'What the hell is happening? She is a senator. She has the right to have an opinion.' Yes, I do have the right to have an opinion and have a say, as do Senator Canavan and Senator Rennick. We all have a right to have a say.

We have been given misinformation all the way along, right from the very beginning. I don't think the health officers know exactly what they are saying, because we have one set of health officers telling us one thing and another set telling us another. The people in this nation are so confused. It has been an absolute balls-up with people. You are worrying about the health. I'm saying that it is real. I have not advised people not to have vaccinations. I have said, 'Do your research and understand what is best for you.' We have the Queensland Chief Health Officer, Jeannette Young, saying: 'I wouldn't recommend AstraZeneca to anyone under 40 years of age. You have more chance of dying from the vaccination than you do from COVID.' Now we're told: 'Oh, you can't say that.' Have we heard the truth about whether people have actually died from the COVID vaccination, or have they actually died with it? Where are the facts there? If you go to climate change, we've had scientists that have told us totally different things about climate change. These are things that the people in this nation are so confused about. We hear from one set of scientists a different opinion to another set on the other side.

I fully support George Christensen's comments and his right to make them, as I do any other member of parliament. I have stood true to form, even with Fraser Anning when you tried to bring this stunt in. He was a member of parliament at the time and had a right to say what he wanted to. Just because they don't fall in line with your views and ideology, everyone has to be thrown under the bus. Let the people judge us on what we say. People want to see us stand up and have that difference of opinion and debate the issues about what is happening, not shut us down because it doesn't go with your narrative and what you want us to say. A lot more members of parliament would dearly love to speak out—I've told people this—but they don't out of fear of not getting preselection or moving up the political ladder to become a minister. They're controlled. People want truth and honesty from our politicians, not leading with the political line that suits their agenda.

That is all this motion is: it's just a political stunt by the Labor Party. It was dealt with in the lower house. I blame the Prime Minister. You allowed it to happen. You allowed one of your members to be thrown under the bus by the Labor Party. Now you have to wear it in the upper house. So I'd suggest to the coalition: stand up for your members of parliament. There is nothing wrong with what they have said. There is nothing wrong with anyone questioning the system because our job, as members of parliament, is to question it—then we will find the right answers.

Over the years they've tried to shut me down about immigration, multiculturalism, even climate change, water issues—everything in Australia. I'm supposed to be shut down because I don't have a right to have those opinions. It is so important that we are allowed to voice our opinions. As I said, the people want diversity. They want debate. We want the truth. That's all people are asking for with regard to COVID.

If you're worrying about those people that may get infected, yes, delta is more contagious, but it doesn't mean it's a death sentence. You are destroying people's lives and businesses. They are going under with suicide attempts. The kids of this nation don't know what's going to happen to them. We are destroying them, and you don't even have the answers. It's about time you both worked together to give people in this country confidence about when they can get on with their lives, instead of playing your political stunts.