Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator McKim, I move:

That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

That the election of President Trump is a threat to Australia and the world, including his attacks on human rights, democracy and climate action, that the toxic influence of billionaires and corporations in political decision making must end, and that we must do everything we can to stop Trump-style politics coming to Australia.

When governments serve the interests of billionaires and corporations, when those elected to positions of power spread hate and play on fear, when so many in a community struggle so hard to access health care, when the cost of groceries is so high and when it is so difficult to find a safe roof over your head to call home, the conditions are created where individuals can come to power willing to do and say things that have not been done before and willing to take those pieces of hate-filled rhetoric spoken in quiet spaces where nobody thinks anyone will ever find out and turn them into action.

We observe in the election of Donald Trump one such individual taking office again in the United States, and so many in our community are so worried by that, because our government—this Labor government—has decided to continue with the Liberal policy of closely binding us to the United States through the AUKUS agreement.

Many in our community do not want to see our foreign policy set by Donald Trump. They do not want to see Australian men and women potentially put in harm's way to serve in a war that that man might start. Many here in our community are wondering how we ensure that such an individual is never able to take power here in Australia.

The answer—the action—that is being demanded of this parliament at this moment is that we address these causes and take bold action to ensure that people can get the health care they need, affordably access the food they need, and have a house—a home—to call their own; that people in this place call out hatred and those who play on fear each and every time; and that no man in a position of power is ever allowed to get away with speaking about a woman in the way that Donald Trump has been able to in past generations. (Time expired)