Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion to provide for the consideration of two censure motions today.

Leave granted.

I thank the Senate. There are two motions which the government is seeking to move this morning. I will speak to both of them and then move them separately. One is in relation to behaviour by Senator Thorpe and one is in relation to behaviour by Senator Babet.

The government moves these motions reluctantly. We know both senators are engaging in these behaviours precisely in order to get attention—engaging in actions and stunts designed to create storms on social media but offering nothing of substance to improve anyone's life. These are actions which seek to incite outrage and grievance to actually boost their own profiles, and this is part of a trend that we do see internationally but, quite frankly, we do not need here in Australia. We should deny them the attention they seek, but, in doing so, we should also signal the upholding of standards of respect when we have dignitaries visit our parliament—in Senator Thorpe's case, no less than the head of state—and standards of respect when it comes to talking about our fellow Australians, in Senator Babet's case, deliberate abuse of some of our fellow Australians. I move:

That the routine of business before the attendance by the Minister representing the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme today be:

(a) consideration of a motion to be moved by Senator Wong proposing the censure of Senator Thorpe; and

(b) consideration of a motion to be moved by Senator Wong proposing the censure of Senator Babet.

Question agreed to.