Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, by 5 pm on 14 November 2018, all documents or correspondence between the Government of the Republic of Nauru, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Home Affairs, the Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and/or the Office of the Minister for Home Affairs, which relate to my application for a Nauru visa.

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

I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

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

It has been reported that over 70 refugees now on Nauru who are ineligible to come to Australia have rejected offers of resettlement in the United States. To be resettled in the United States is a dream for most of the world's refugees. We know that because the United Nations Refugee Agency reports that the United States under President Trump is the most requested country of resettlement in the world.

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

Senator Hanson, please resume your seat. Stop the clock. Senator McKim on a point of order.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek your guidance. It's a matter of relevance. I understand that Senator Hanson is making a statement by leave of the Senate. I was very happy to be part of the Senate providing her leave if her statement were relevant in any way to the question before the Senate. It's not, so I ask your advice as to whether I can now deny leave to Senator Hanson.

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

My views on this particular aspect of the way the Senate conducts its business are well known, but it is a matter for the Senate. In my view, once leave is granted for a statement to be made, leave has been granted and a point of order on relevance to something that might normally be before the chamber, like a bill under debate, is not relevant. This is a matter senators will have to take into account. Any senator, of course, can object to the granting of leave. Senator Hanson, I call you to continue.

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

We believe genuine refugees would readily accept resettlement in the United States and those who are on Nauru who have rejected that offer are economic migrants and are not in need of ongoing Australian financial support. It is time that Senator McKim started to represent the good people of Tasmania, who he was elected to support.

Question agreed to.