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

At the request of Senator Watt, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the Member for Hughes', Mr Craig Kelly's, repeated use of social media to spread damaging mistruths about COVID-19,

(ii) comments made by Mr Kelly regarding COVID-19 vaccinations which have the potential to undermine public confidence in the upcoming rollout,

(iii) Mr Kelly's claims have repeatedly been refuted by health experts,

(iv) last week, Mr Kelly told the Special Broadcasting Service that he is in 'regular contact with the Health Minister and the Prime Minister's office', and

(v) on Monday at the National Press Club, the Prime Minister again refused to condemn Mr Kelly's irresponsible and dangerous comments during a pandemic;

(b) condemns the spreading of mistruths and misinformation which undermines public health and Australia's economic recovery; and

(c) calls on all parliamentarians to rely on and promote the advice of medical experts.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that the question be split, putting part (a) separate from parts (b) and (c). I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We strongly support the sentiments in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this motion. Australia's priority is to suppress the virus and deliver the vaccine. As the member for Hughes said in a statement today:

This morning I had a meeting with the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister reinforced the importance of ensuring public confidence in the Government's vaccine strategy. I agreed to support the Government's vaccine rollout which has been endorsed by medical experts.

I have always sought to support the success of the nation's public health response during the pandemic.

I believe that the spread of misinformation can damage the success of our public health response during the pandemic.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) 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.

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One Nation opposes this motion. Senator Watt is on thin ice talking about mistruths. Only yesterday, Senator Watt said on Twitter that resource workers could rely on Labor. Just two hours later in the Senate he voted against a new coal-fired power station in the Hunter. Senator Watt might be happy to throw beleaguered MP Joel Fitzgibbon under a bus in New South Wales, yet the senator threw resource workers in our own state under a bus when he and Labor voted against a coal plant for Collinsville in north Queensland. The truth is that resource workers cannot rely on Labor. That's why Labor is now misdirecting to deflect attention away from selling out the old Labor Party's heartland, the real Labor Party's former base.

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

Before I put the motion, I'm going to remind all senators that the privilege of making a one-minute statement on behalf of one's party colleagues is a privilege granted by the unanimous consent of the entire Senate. It is a courtesy that is granted to explain a party's position on a motion that is being put without debate. It is not considered to be an opportunity to debate other matters or indeed to substantially debate the issue itself. Any single senator can deny leave, and I'm not obliged to name the senator that denies leave. I remind senators that this section is one based on courtesy rather than the standing orders.

I will now put the motion as requested. I've been asked to put clause (a) separately, so I will put that first. The question now is that clause (a) of the motion standing in the name of Senator Watt be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

The question now is that parts (b) and (c) of the motion standing in the name of Senator Watt be agreed to.

Question agreed to.