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

I seek leave to move a motion to provide for the first reading of the Sex Discrimination Amendment (Acknowledging Biological Reality) Bill 2024, as circulated.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice of motion standing in my name, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to provide that a motion for the first reading of the Sex Discrimination Amendment (Acknowledging Biological Reality) Bill 2024 may be moved immediately.

I've been denied the right to actually introduce this bill. For the first reading speech, I was denied the right. That is very unusual in this place. Labor and the Greens have taken the highly unusual step of voting down a bill at its first reading that sought to reinforce the biological definitions of 'man' and 'woman'. This is a rare and alarming move that undermines our democratic process. By refusing the chance to debate this bill, Labor and the Greens are not only silencing important discussions but also disregarding the voices of Australians who support One Nation's position on upholding biological reality.

It's hard to find examples of bills being defeated at the first reading. One such example is the Government Preference Prohibition Bill 1914, which was defeated at its first reading, triggering the first double dissolution in Australian history. In 1957, 14 bills related to banking reforms, including the Reserve Bank Bill and the Commonwealth Banks Bill, were also rejected at their first reading.

I acknowledge that Senator Waters had legislation blocked at its first reading in the last parliament; however, her bill was a narrow proposal for a parliamentary inquiry into whether Christian Porter, a government minister at the time, should remain in his role. Our belief was that allegations of this nature belonged in the courts and not in parliament. There were serious concerns that this bill was using parliamentary privilege to make potentially defamatory claims against a government minister in an inappropriate manner.

I will also point out that this is not the only example of my legislation being blocked at first reading. My Acts Interpretation Amendment (Aboriginality) Bill 2023, which is legislation to resolve outstanding issues around the definition of 'Aboriginality', has also been blocked at the first reading. In this instance, the coalition assisted Labor and the Greens. This is something I believe is a mistake, and I will be seeking to address it at a later date. I point out here that it's highly unusual for first readings to be stopped, and that's what the Senate has done on two of my bills. We, as senators elected to this parliament, have a right to introduce bills we believe are important to the Australian people; you can't even debate it.

As I keep saying, you are the worst government we've ever seen. With the assistance mainly of David Pocock and a couple of the other crossbenchers, you shut down debate in this parliament. You're not open and honest. There's no accountability whatsoever. It is not up to you to decide whether sex discrimination should be debated or not; it should go ahead. There is due process in this place. This is why we are all elected to this parliament, regardless of our political persuasions. We should have the right to discuss these issues. It's not based on what you think is right or not right. It should be discussed and debated. When I tried to bring in bills about puberty blockers, gender dysphoria and sex hormones, you chose not to allow for an inquiry to happen based on your own principles. That's not representing the Australian people in this place.

Then you turn around and call me racist or say that I am discriminating against people. You are discriminating against every woman out there who is crying out because every time men may decide they want to be female—put a dress on, put some make-up on, put some high heels on or do whatever they want to and think that they're female—women are getting a slap in the face. They are not females; biologically, they are not females. You are born either male or female. I can understand that some people are trapped in a body they don't want to belong to. But you can't disrupt society as a whole when the majority of people in this country claim to be either male or female. You are allowing them to impinge on women's rights in their private spaces, in change rooms, in sporting events, when there are only a small minority of people that claim to be that. Women have fought for their rights in this country for so long, but you're denying them their rights. Who are you to decide that without open and honest debate?

Biological sex is important in how we deal with this. I have feminists out there who say: 'I've never supported Pauline Hanson, but, cripes, I've got to support her on this one. She's right in what she says.' What are you so afraid of? Is it purely for the votes? Is it for your own political games here? Look at common sense. Listen to the Australian people. They want debate on this. They want answers. They want common sense to prevail in this parliament. They don't want to be shut down. You have no right to do it to the Australian people. Stop shutting me down every time I raise something you don't like.