Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Brockman and O'Sullivan, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

  (i) the tremendous sacrifices made by all Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic,

  (ii) the more than 100 deaths that have occurred in Australia as a result of the virus,

  (iii) the millions of livelihoods disrupted by shutdown of businesses and resultant job and income losses,

  (iv) the negative mental health outcomes caused by social distancing for many in the community,

  (v) that there are many worthy causes, gatherings and significant occasions which have been disrupted, including ANZAC and Labour Day Marches,

  (vi) the importance of political leaders leading by example in all matters, and

  (vii) the comments of AMA President Tony Bartone that the protests over the weekend were held "in defiance of public health warnings"; and

(b) calls on members of this House and the other place who attended the protests over the weekend:

  (i) to lead by example,

  (ii) to comply with public health laws and directives, and

  (iii) to acknowledge that their actions represent a failure of leadership and are an insult to all those who have suffered during this period.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) 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.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor would ask that the question be put separately on (a) and (b) and indicate that we will be supporting clause (a) of the motion but we oppose clause (b). That is largely due to issues of the imputations that it places on members of this place and of the other chamber. Really, it's just a stunt motion designed specifically to distract from the deaths of Indigenous Australians in custody and the overrepresentation of Indigenous Australians in our justice system. But certainly the (b) clause of the motion does pass judgement and negative imputations on members in this place and of the other and, as such, we think it's disorderly and probably out of order.

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

I'll take that as a point of order as well. Senator Gallagher, I read (b). I don't, given the language that has been allowed, regularly in this chamber by the chair and by the mood of the Senate—I wouldn't consider any of the language in (b) to be contrary to the standing orders and, if it was, I think we would find I would be ruling a lot more comments across the chamber out of order. If the Senate would like to encourage me to do so, I am in their hands. The question now is that clause (a) of motion 600 be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

Now the question is that clause (b) of motion No. 600 be agreed to.

Question agreed to.