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

ANSON (—) (): Revelations of a cover-up over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and of the Australian government's deliberate suppression of free speech during the pandemic have made the need for a royal commission more urgent. I remind the Senate that the Prime Minister has promised such a royal commission. It is completely justified.

The pandemic was the most significant and disruptive event in Australia since the Second World War. Thousands of people died. Whole cities were effectively locked down. State borders were closed. Military forces were employed to support domestic police forces. Hundreds of billions of dollars were borrowed by Australian governments to deliver pandemic relief. Thousands of jobs were lost, with many skilled workers from critical sectors still excluded from jobs thanks to vaccine mandates being mandated by vindictive public bureaucrats and bureaucracies. Thousands of businesses closed, many never to open again. Fundamental human rights like freedom of speech, freedom to travel, freedom of assembly and freedom of association were suppressed or attacked outright. Australians who questioned or resisted these attacks were demonised by the media and elected politicians.

The Prime Minister has had his robodebt witch-hunt against the coalition. Now it's time for a royal commission into the management of the COVID-19 pandemic by all Australian governments. Only a royal commission has the necessary coercive power to compel the expert health advice that led to lockdowns and mandates, advice which is still concealed from the Australian people. We need to learn what worked and what didn't so that Australia is better prepared for pandemics. And we need to give hardworking Aussies the right to work again. Let's get this royal commission started, and the sooner the better. If you're going to represent the people, give them the voice and let them open up the closed doors.