Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. I refer to former Prime Minister Turnbull, who said, 'The call to show the most emphatic disapproval of One Nation is absolutely justified, and they should be put last.' Is Mr Turnbull correct?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, I refer to my previous answers. Indeed, as I said, there will be many people who nominate at the next election, many of whom I will disagree with, the Liberal Party will disagree with, the National Party will disagree with, the Labor Party will disagree with or the Greens will disagree with. We'll all have to decide how we order our how-to-vote cards. We have been clear as a Liberal Party that we will put One Nation below the Labor Party and we'll assess all of the other parties of extreme positions according to their lack of merits thereafter.

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

Senator Ketter, a supplementary question?

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In response to Mr Morrison's attempt to walk both sides of the street, former Prime Minister Turnbull said, 'Scott Morrison has obviously gone some way towards that today, but hopefully he will go further.' Will Mr Morrison heed Mr Turnbull's advice to go further and put One Nation last?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order during questions. Senator Birmingham.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to all previous answers on this topic.

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

Senator Ketter, a final supplementary question?

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When will Mr Morrison demonstrate the leadership the nation needs and reject the divisive and dangerous ideologies of One Nation by ensuring all coalition candidates put One Nation and candidates like them last?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I simply make the point, indeed as others have picked up, that you just asked us to put all One Nation candidates and all candidates like them last. We don't know who will nominate in each seat. I would hope that the Australian Labor Party, if Senator Anning is endorsing candidates, might put them last instead of One Nation. We've said very clearly that we will assess who nominates in which seat, their extreme positions and the lack of merit they deserve in terms of how they are ordered on our ballot paper. That's the responsible thing to do. We could not have been clearer that we will be preferencing the Labor Party ahead of One Nation in every possible circumstance.

Indeed, Mr Shorten has had to drag the union movement—I'm not sure entirely successfully—kicking and screaming to abandon what had been a 'Put the Liberals last' campaign that the unions were running. I'm not sure that they've abandoned that yet. Of course, we'll wait and see whether that's the case. But I'm sure you will— (Time expired)