Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senators Watt, Chisholm and Green, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Brisbane Sikh Temple (Gurdwara) Inc ("Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara") has provided approximately 20,000 free cooked meals and 2,000 free grocery hampers to people in need during the coronavirus pandemic,

(ii) assistance has been provided by the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara to Australians and visitors to Australia irrespective of race, religion or nationality,

(iii) in providing the assistance, members of the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara have volunteered their time continually over the last three months, including by cooking food, organising groceries, packing hampers, delivering hampers and doing all the other activities needed to undertake such a large project,

(iv) prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara has previously helped members of the Australian community during their time of need, including (most recently) through the delivery of water and other essential supplies to those impacted by drought and bush fires,

(v) the actions of the members of the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara represent the best of Australian values—reaching out to help people in need, and

(vi) Senator Paul Scarr told INDOZ TV that "It doesn't matter what the background is of the needy people, they're there to support them, and that is all that is good about Australia—is summarised in what the Brisbane Sikh Temple is doing here…";

(b) acknowledges and deeply appreciates the outstanding contribution of all those members of the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara who stepped up to help people who have been left behind by the Morrison Government during this pandemic—particularly the international students and temporary migrants who have lost their jobs, cannot return home, and are unable to support themselves;

(c) thanks Senator Scarr for bringing this matter to the attention of the Senate; and

(d) expresses its sorrow that so many people in Australia—including those people supported by the Brisbane Sikh Gurdwara and many other faith and community organisations—have been left behind by the Morrison Government's response to the corona virus pandemic.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Thursday, the Senate passed motion 606, whereby the Senate expressed its deep appreciation to members of the Brisbane Sikh Temple for their assistance to people in need during the coronavirus pandemic. This motion replicates much of that motion, except that it now contains a critique of the Morrison government and it quotes me in certain respects, albeit accurately. This should not be about politics. This should not be about the government. This should not be about the opposition. This should certainly not be about me. What it should be about is the generosity of spirit of the members of the Brisbane Sikh Temple, their kindness, their generosity and how their actions reflect the best of Australian values.

Question agreed to.