Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

SHELDON () (): I had some problems trying to get this through the last Senate two-minute statements, so here we go. There's an old saying that goes: when you're caught with your hand in the cookie jar, deny it's your hand. Senator Henderson has given an award-winning rendition. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that, just weeks before her humiliating backflip on international student caps, she headlined an event for migration agents, including Liberal Party donors, whose business is helping international students extend their stay in Australia. The migration agent hosting the event was the secretary of the Rouse Hill Liberal Party. You couldn't make that up, could you? It doesn't stop there. The shadow immigration minister, Dan Tehan, had a private breakfast with migration agents the day before announcing he would oppose the bill.

The shadow education and immigration ministers have outsourced policy writing to their donors. The Leader of the Opposition is out there dog whistling, saying that international students are the new boat people, but they're fundraising from the visa agents helping international students stay in the country after their study visa has finished.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Henderson, a point of order?

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Imputing motive. I've made it very clear that there was no fundraising, and Senator Sheldon is deliberately misleading the Senate. I ask him to withdraw. It's a deliberate tactic by Senator Sheldon and he knows it's false.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please resume your seat, Senator Henderson.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You can dish it out but you can't take it!

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle! Order! Senator Ayres?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, Acting Deputy President: that's a debating point, not a point of order.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please resume your seat, Senator Henderson. Thank you for your assistance, Senator Ayres, but it is my—

I'm going to remind the chamber—thank you. In my view, it's a debating point. I will listen. Senator Sheldon, please resume.

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They've got one hand on the whistle and the other hand in the jar. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, this hypocrisy is creating a lot of confusion. I quote:

Several shadow ministers and backbenchers said there was frustration in the party room about how the Coalition reached the position, with some left confused about how to articulate it publicly.

Well, I'll tell you, it's not that confusing. Those migration agents are getting their money's worth out of Senator Henderson and it's her hand in the jar.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order—

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Henderson.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He is imputing improper motive. Senator Sheldon's claim is absolutely disgraceful and false, and I would ask that he withdraw it. He knows it to be false—I've already given a personal explanation in the Senate—and it shows how grubby the party across there is that they would do this.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator—

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You know it's wrong.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Henderson, you've made your point. Please resume your seat.

Senator Henderson, I can't rule while you are still speaking, and I have asked you to resume your seat. Please resume your seat, Senator Ayres. I believe the concern is around the phrase 'hand in the cookie jar'.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's false!

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Henderson—

you're making it very hard for me to do my job when you keep interjecting. Senator Sheldon, I believe that the concern is around the imputation in the line 'hand in the cookie jar'. It would assist the chamber if you would withdraw that part of your statement.

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If it assists the chamber, and I'll read this—I know I've still got 14 minutes.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Seconds.

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Seconds, sorry, not 14 minutes. Those migration agents are getting their money's worth when the Liberal and National parties have their hand in the cookie jar.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Henderson.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order: Acting Deputy President, you asked Senator Sheldon to withdraw. He failed to withdraw and then he repeated the very allegation he knows to be false, after you asked him to withdraw that allegation. That is absolutely improper, and I would ask that you again ask him to withdraw.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sit down!

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle, those comments are inappropriate. I would like you to sit quietly while I hear the point of order and then rule on that point of order. I did not hear a withdrawal. I do believe that what was said after that talked about parties, not people, but I didn't hear a withdrawal for the original remark. If you could withdraw the original remark, Senator Sheldon, that would assist the chamber.

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm more than happy to assist the chamber and I withdraw my original remarks.

Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you.