David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) congratulates the people of Victoria for their achievement in overcoming the second wave;

(b) commends the people of Victoria for the sacrifices they have made in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic;

(c) notes the people of Victoria have succeeded in stopping the spread of COVID-19 despite the hardship it has entailed;

(d) further notes that:

  (i) the lockdowns have caused immeasurable damage to the lives and livelihoods of Victorians,

  (ii) closed borders and lockdowns are not a demonstration or evidence of success, rather they are evidence of outbreaks that have got out of control, and

  (iii) the Victorian public have succeeded despite the mismanagement of hotel quarantine and contract tracing by the Victorian Government;

(e) mourns the 800 Victorian lives lost throughout the second outbreak and sends its sympathies to their families;

(f) recognises that the Federal Government has stood by Victorians every single day of the lockdown that became necessary as a result of the outbreak that got out of control; and

(g) expresses its gratitude to the people of Victoria on behalf of a grateful nation.

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

This motion says everything about this government. In fact, I would suggest that it was probably drafted in the Prime Minister's office. What is masquerading as a motion to acknowledge Victoria and support Victoria is actually about sticking the political knife into the Victorian government and attacking them. This is exactly how this government have behaved through this pandemic. On the one hand they say, 'We're all in this together and we're all working as a nation', and then, at the first opportunity, they start picking people off, state by state, where it doesn't politically suit them. We are not in a position to support this motion because of that. I note, for example, it doesn't include the more than 685 people who have died in aged care while this government was asleep. Where's that in this motion? Absolutely nowhere!

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order across the chamber!

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

We will not support this. How about you live up to what you say: 'Let's all be in this together.'

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

There were way too many senators for me to name there. I'm going to collectively name everyone but Senator Gallagher, and ask them to restrain themselves.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a one-minute statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to notify the chamber that this is not my first speech, but I rise because I need to speak against this angry motion. Evidence has shown that the Victorian government's actions and the Victorian community's cooperation have been successful. Today my state has recorded 12 days in a row of no new coronavirus cases. All Victorians should be proud of what they have done. The federal government have not stood by Victorians. They have undermined the Premier. They have cut JobSeeker and JobKeeper, as well as given up on the aged-care system—

Government senators interjecting—

You can't even look after your elders who you're responsible for! It is typical of this government: other people do the work just so they can swoop in to score a cheap point.

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

The question is that motion No. 845 be agreed to.