Patrick Dodson (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Senate)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Attorney-General, Senator Cash. Yesterday, government senators supported a motion echoing a slogan used by white supremacists. The Attorney-General today issued a statement blaming his staff for the government's decision to support the motion. Last night, the Attorney-General backed in the vote by tweeting:

The Government Senators' actions in the Senate this afternoon confirm that the Government deplores racism of any kind.

The question is: how is backing in the government's support for a slogan used by white supremacists with a tweet consistent with the Attorney-General's claim that it was a mistake?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Dodson for the question. As has been made very clear by the Leader of the Government in the Senate today, the coalition government condemns racism in all of its forms. You will be aware that both Senator Cormann and the Attorney-General have made public statements about this matter this morning. The coalition's support of the motion yesterday, as has been reiterated by Minister Cormann, was the result of an administrative error. Minister Cormann has made it clear this morning and in the chamber today that the government agreed internally to oppose this motion and had originally made the decision when the motion was put forward in December. I refer you to both Senator Cormann's and the Attorney-General's statements in this regard.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Dodson, a supplementary question.

Patrick Dodson (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Senate)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Attorney-General tweeted at 7.12 pm last night backing in the government's support for a white supremacist slogan, as did the Leader of the Government in the Senate at 7.31 pm. At what time did the government decide it was actually a mistake?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I have advised, both Senator Cormann and the Attorney-General have made public statements about this matter this morning.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order is on direct relevance. Neither of those statements to which the minister referred goes to the point that Senator Dodson asked a question about, which is the time at which the government decided it was a mistake.

The PRESIDENT: The minister has been speaking for nine seconds. I'm not in a position to rule on whether it's directly relevant. Has the minister concluded her answer? She has. In that case, there is no point of order on direct relevance. Senator Dodson, a final supplementary question.

Patrick Dodson (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Senate)) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let's hope there's an answer to this question! After the government senators voted in support of a white supremacist slogan, Senator Abetz told Fairfax he was 'comfortable' with the vote, declaring it an opportunity to 'condemn racism against white people'. Has the Attorney-General told Senator Abetz that he was wrong?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Dodson, I will refer you to what occurred in the chamber earlier today. Every coalition senator voted to oppose the motion.