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

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Minister for Indigenous Australians (Senator McCarthy) to questions without notice asked by Senator Roberts and me this week relating to native title.

Twice this week, Senator Roberts and I have asked the question of the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy, with regard to land deals that have been done in Queensland. These are communities in Queensland that have been taken over in secret deals. Of course, the question was asked about secret deals. At that time, Minister McCarthy didn't say anything other than, 'No; there are no secret deals whatsoever.' I followed up today with the same question, and she, reluctantly, couldn't answer the question because she's been advised since: 'You can't talk about this.' She said, 'Go to the Queensland state government.' On Monday she was quite happy to say that there are no secret deals, but today she isn't, when it was pointed out. Even Steven Miles, the Labor premier, said that applications under Queensland's Aboriginal Land Act are treated confidentially. The Goondiwindi mayor, Lawrence Springborg, also told me that it can't be said because it's confidential.

The whole fact is that Senator McCarthy's completely out of her depth. She didn't know. She gave an answer that misled this Senate. She said, 'It's not secretive.' Confidential is secret. It's about the fact. She also made a comment—you can brush it off very easily; it was a very simple question—'Can I just point out that there is no secrecy here and you degrade this Senate by running down Aboriginal people.' What a spin that was! There was nothing about Aboriginal people. I have always called for equality for all Australians. If there are going to be planes across these 15 towns in Queensland, why shouldn't people be consulted about it? Why shouldn't they have a say in this? It is secret. It is not running down the Aboriginal people, but you just use the word 'racist' or whatever you can because you can't answer the questions and be up front and truthful with the people of Queensland or, for that matter, the whole of Australia. You are disgusting.

Question agreed to.