Senate debates

Thursday, 28 November 2019

Questions without Notice

Member for Chisholm

2:46 pm

Photo of Kimberley KitchingKimberley Kitching (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Accountability) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Cormann, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. The government's ensuring integrity bill proposes to introduce a fit and proper person test to apply to trade union officials. The Prime Minister and ministers have refused to provide an assurance to the parliament and to the Australian people that the member for Chisholm is a fit and proper person to sit as a member of the House of Representatives. Why is there one standard for the Prime Minister's mates and another for working Australians and the unions that represent them?

2:47 pm

Photo of Mathias CormannMathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | | Hansard source

Here we go again! Here we go again, with the Labor Party coming into the Senate and running this smear that, because the member for Chisholm is of Chinese origin—

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Wong, on a point of order?

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

I would ask that that be withdrawn. This is not an issue of ethnicity, and asserting that it is is a smear on us. The issue is transparency and your refusal to say she is a fit and proper person—the test you set for trade union officials.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

On this particular point, I refer every senator to standing order 193, Rules of debate—which also apply to questions—which includes 'imputations of improper motives and all personal reflections'. I will ask the minister to withdraw that for the comity of the chamber on this, because I do consider that to be such, given there was no mention of a nation or any such matter in the question. If, however, I heard an interjection along those lines, ministers are allowed to respond to that. So I would urge all senators to be particularly careful.

Photo of Mathias CormannMathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Thank you.

Photo of Mathias CormannMathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | | Hansard source

Let me just make this point. The member for Chisholm is a member of the House of Representatives because she was duly elected, consistent with our Constitution and our electoral laws, and because the people of Chisholm put their confidence in her to represent them here in this parliament. She absolutely is a duly and validly elected member of parliament.

Just by way of context, there has been an ongoing pursuit of this particular member for some time by the Labor Party. Let's not kid ourselves. The effective allegation that the Labor Party has been pursuing in an implied and dog-whistling way, without actually saying it explicitly, is that, because she is an Australian of Chinese origin, she's a spy—

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cormann. Senator Wong, on a point of order?

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

Mr President, I refer you to your previous ruling. 'Dog whistling' and the allegation that was made—they are not allegations that are being made on this side. This is about transparency.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

I am happy to rule. My previous request, which was not a ruling and which the minister kindly complied with, was in the context that I thought that could have quite easily been a reflection. This, however, and the terminology he is using now is, in my view, a matter for debate. It is not a reflection on an individual member. I think this is a matter that can be debated after question time or debated at another time in the chamber. The minister's not breaching a standing order with the language he's using now, and I'm listening very carefully. Senator Cormann, are you finished answering?

Photo of Mathias CormannMathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Kitching, a supplementary question?

2:50 pm

Photo of Kimberley KitchingKimberley Kitching (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Accountability) Share this | | Hansard source

There have been a number of questions raised about the member for Chisholm in the media and the number of discrepancies in her public statements. Will the minister now assure the Senate that the member for Chisholm is a fit and proper person to sit as a member of the House of Representatives?

Photo of Mathias CormannMathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Chisholm was pursued over membership of various organisations which her Labor opponent in the same election was a member of as well. Let me say it again very clearly: the member for Chisholm is a duly elected member in the House of Representatives, representing the people of Chisholm, because the majority of the people of Chisholm voted for her, consistent with the requirements under our Constitution and under our electoral laws. What the Labor Party is doing here is nothing but a smear.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Kitching, a final supplementary question?

2:51 pm

Photo of Kimberley KitchingKimberley Kitching (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Accountability) Share this | | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has refused to require the member for Chisholm to make a statement to the parliament, and this morning he refused to attend the chamber to correct the record and apologise for misleading the House yesterday. Why does this Prime Minister think it's okay to have one rule for him, his ministers and his mates but another rule for working Australians and his political opponents?

Photo of Mathias CormannMathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | | Hansard source

Firstly I reject the premise of the question. The Prime Minister did misspeak yesterday, as has happened to people on the other side who have had to come into the chamber to correct the record. The Prime Minister, of course, did that at the earliest opportunity. I table the letter that the Prime Minister sent to the House of Representatives correcting the record for the information of senators. What is happening? Clearly, under Mr Albanese as Leader of the Opposition, we now see the Labor Party going ever and ever deeper into the dirt bucket. They have no policies, which is why they are going after one unsubstantiated political smear after another. If you have any evidence of wrongdoing in relation to any of the allegations that you are making, bring it forward.