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

I don't believe it is unreasonable to ask for this debate to continue till 10 o'clock tonight. The only reason why the government is calling a close to this is that the minister is incompetent, being unable to answer the questions that I put to him yesterday. The only thing he could say—which he said constantly, time and time again—was: 'It's in the best interests of the child.' When I raised different issues with him, he couldn't answer. I even referred to section 51(xxii) of the Constitution, where it talks about parental rights.

I am galled by Senator Ayres's comment today that this is a political stunt. This is not a political stunt. I have been heavily involved in family law for years in this place. I got up a joint parliamentary inquiry to deal with family law. What I have explained here is the most important issue that faces many Australians. Surely we have a right to debate it. I have a right to put across the views of those Australians who feel they are not being heard or listened to. We have to understand the problems in our court system if we are to find the right answers and the right legislation to address this whole issue. It's not just about the rights of the children; it's also about the rights of the parents and how they're treated in our court system. We have to look at domestic violence issues as well. We have to look at the ICLs, and we have to look at the recordings. We have to give them a fair go, a fair chance. It's not right that this legislation has been rushed through.

As I said yesterday, it is so important to debate this. The government has rushed this legislation through. They have pages and pages of amendments to their own bills. That tells you something. They have got it wrong. They are the ones playing politics here. We should be debating this. I call on my fellow senators, I call on the crossbench and I call on Senator David Pocock: we are here to debate and to represent the people of this nation; give us the opportunity to represent them. We can only do that by having our say on the floor of parliament. Let the people hear what we have to say. Call out the government if they're wrong in their legislation. Part of this legislation is right. I support parts of this legislation, but let's debate it. This is no stunt. It is so important for us to get this right, and yet the government wants to shut down debate on this important issue. I've seen Senator Pocock stand up in this chamber and talk passionately about things that are important to him. This is important to me, and it's important to many Australians. Please give us the opportunity to have this debate. We can finish at 10 o'clock tonight and go to a vote tomorrow. Where is the harm in that? That's what our job in this chamber is—to be the voice for Australians. Why shut it down? It's so important.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Senator Van, Senator Babet, Senator Lambie and Senator Tyrrell—crossbenchers with common sense—for supporting the request not to guillotine this but to open it for debate. It's going to come down to Senator David Pocock to support us—the opposition and the rest of the crossbench—to allow this debate to formally go ahead so we can continue with the debate tonight. I'm asking Senator Pocock: please, give us the opportunity to have this debate and let it go through the process that the people of Australia expect to happen here. Too many times in this place, with legislation on important social issues, we've seen the government—which has the numbers with the Greens; they just back them up all the time—just shut down debate. They're not interested in listening to debate in this parliament, because it doesn't suit their agenda. That's not what it's about. When Labor were in opposition, they accused the then government of shutting down debate. I tell you what: this is the worst government I have ever seen when it comes to accountability. The Prime Minister stood up and said, 'We're going to have accountability.' There has been anything but accountability. I've been in parliament with four prime ministers and this is the worst government I have ever seen for lack of accountability, shutting down debate and guillotining. You've got your own hidden agenda, which is an absolute shame on you. And you have the audacity to say this is a stunt. You're the stunt!