MOTIONS
Senator FARUQI (New South Wales—Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens) (15:07): Wow! Just, wow! We must be living in a parallel universe here—honestly.
You would have thought that many of the coalition MPs and senators and Labor MPs and senators would perhaps understand the meaning of 'burning down the house'—that, given that many of you white people in here claim English as your first language, you would actually know what this means. Or maybe some of you have heard the Talking Heads song 'Burning down the house' in the eighties, which is about liberation.
It is about freedom. It is about breaking free. But no.
For heaven's sake, this is a metaphor. It is a figure of speech. Opposition senators interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order!
Senator Ruston was heard in silence. Senator Faruqi, you have the call. Senator FARUQI: Like I said, for heaven's sake, it's a figure of speech.
It is a metaphor. But, no, it did not take two seconds for Labor and coalition senators and MPs to start a pile-on on Senator Thorpe. Senator Thorpe spoke truth to power about the genocide of First Nations people.
Senator McKenzie interjecting— Senator FARUQI: This is how you treat people of colour, so I'm not surprised at all that you're ranting back at me. Senator Thorpe spoke truth to power when she spoke about the genocide of First Nations people in this country and the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, and you all can't bear to hear the truth. And of course one of the first acts of this colony's NSI teams is not to target Neo-Nazis—don't target Neo-Nazis once you set up this team!
Target a black senator. That is absolutely disgraceful and shameful. Your actions and your condemnations are strong of people who want to hold Israel to account for their genocide and who want to hold people in this country to account for the genocide of First Nations people.
But you are silent about holding the perpetrators of Israel's genocide to account. You are completely silent—or, even worse, frankly, you support it. You support that genocide and you shield Israel.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi, that is unparliamentary. I would ask you to withdraw. Senator FARUQI: Could I ask which bit is unparliamentary?
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi, I've asked you to withdraw. You made a direct reflection on members of this chamber. Senator FARUQI: Yes, okay, I withdraw.
But the government and the coalition have supported a genocide, and the government and coalition have shielded Israel— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi— Senator FARUQI: and provided cover to Israel for that genocide. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi, resume your seat! Senator McKenzie, I'm happy to deal with this, but if you wish— Senator McKenzie: On a point of order, I am sick and tired of being called a supporter of genocide because I'm a Zionist.
Senator McKim: On the point of order, firstly, Senator Faruqi did not mention Senator McKenzie in her contribution, so Senator McKenzie's personal views are not relevant to this point of order. Secondly, on the point of order, it is actually a matter of record, of voting record, in this chamber that allusions to the word 'genocide' have been removed from motions and amendments proposed by the Australian Greens.
I submit to you that Senator Faruqi's comment is not contradictory to the standing orders. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator McKim, I believe that Senator Faruqi's comment is unparliamentary. It does not assist in this debate, and I ask Senator Faruqi to withdraw unconditionally.
Senator FARUQI: I have withdrawn it. But I just want to end by saying that it is absolutely disgraceful and absolutely shameful for you to try and censure Senator Thorpe for telling the truth about the genocide. You should all hang your heads in shame.