DOCUMENTS
Senator ASKEW (Tasmania—Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate) (15:44): At the request of Senator Bragg, I move: That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, by no later than 9 am on Wednesday, 26 November 2025, all written or digital correspondence, documents, briefing notes and meeting notes between Housing Australia and the Minister for Housing in relation to the Chair of Housing Australia since 1 January 2025.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The question is that this motion be agreed to. A division having been called and the bells being rung— Senator Thorpe: No, wait a moment! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Is this a point of order?
Senator Thorpe: Where's the President? This can't be happening. Get this racist person out of here now!
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe. Senator Thorpe: Get her out! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe.
Senator Thorpe: Get her out! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe! Resume your seat.
Senator Thorpe: Get the President! Who's in charge here? The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe!
Senator Thorpe: Who's in charge? The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Resume your seat! This matter has been considered before.
Dress is a matter for an individual senator's conscience. Senator Thorpe: No! This is racist!
An honourable senator: Who is it? The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The chamber attendants have verified that this is a senator. If Senator Askew is not comfortable in counting that senator, then she can notify the matter to me.
This matter has been considered before. Senator Thorpe: No! I'm going to play up.
I'll shut down this Senate until she is removed! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe! Senator Thorpe: No!
Senator Hanson: There's no dress code in this Senate. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi? Senator Faruqi: Dress code might be a choice of senators, but racism should not be the choice of this Senate!
This is a racist senator displaying blatant racism and Islamophobia. Someone should pull her up on that! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi— Senator Faruqi: It is you in the chair.
You should be pulling her up on that! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi, resume your seat! Senator Payman, on the same issue, I take it?
Senator Payman: What else would I be talking about, Deputy President? If this is about the dress code, she is disrespecting a faith. She is disrespecting the Muslim Australians out there.
It is absolutely unconstitutional. This needs to be dealt with immediately, before we proceed. It's disgraceful!
It is a shame— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Payman, resume your seat. Your position has been made clear. This is a matter for the entire Senate chamber.
I have made the previous rulings of this Senate clear. If the Senate wants to change that ruling, that is a matter for the entire chamber, not for me. Senator Whish-Wilson interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Whish-Wilson, if this is on the same matter, I'm not going to entertain it any more.
Senator Whish-Wilson: It's different. Senator Hanson is using a prop in the Senate, and it's a dangerous prop. It is dangerous to this country, so I ask that you rule on her bringing a prop into the Senate.
It's not her normal dress code. It is clearly a prop to make a political statement. If I were to wear a Greens t-shirt in here or a Fremantle Dockers shirt or whatever, I would get shown the door.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Whish-Wilson, resume your seat. This matter has been ruled on before. Senator Thorpe: No, it has not!
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe! Senator Thorpe: This is making our workplace unsafe. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, resume your seat!
Senator Thorpe: No, not until you get this racist out! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, resume your seat. Senator Faruqi, resume your seat.
Senator Faruqi: No; there is a person in here ridiculing my religion. Senator Hanson, if you had any shame, you'd walk out of here! Deputy President, you need to rule on this.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi, resume your seat! Senator Thorpe: Get out! Senator Faruqi interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Faruqi, resume your seat.
Senator Shoebridge and Senator Waters, resume your seats. Senator Shoebridge interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: No, Senator Shoebridge, resume your seat. I will complete this division, and then, if a senator wishes to dissent from my ruling, they are entitled to.
Senator Faruqi: We are dissenting now. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: You cannot dissent now. We need to complete the division.
We will complete the division, and then you may move dissent in the chair. Senator Shoebridge: My point of order, if you can hear me, Deputy President— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: There has been a request to cancel the division. Senator Shoebridge: Yes, that's my request.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Does anyone object to cancelling the division? We will cancel the division. Senator Askew interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: No; it's cancelled.
Honourable senators interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The doors have been locked. The division will need to be finalised. Would senators please resume their seats.
Senator Wong? Senator Waters: Hello, Deputy President. I've been on my feet for a minute.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: My understanding and the advice I have is that the division needs to be completed. If someone wants to dissent at that point with my ruling, they can. I am going to put the question.
The question is that the motion, as moved by Senator Bragg, be agreed to. Ayes will pass to the right of the chair, noes to the left. I'll give senators a few moments to assume their seats, as I assume, Senator Wong, you do not wish to be on this side—nor you, Senator Chisholm.
Senator Thorpe: Is this to kick the racist out? What's this vote for? The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: We are attempting to finish the division.
Then you may dissent on the chair's ruling. Senator Thorpe: We have a right to be in a safe workplace, and that racist is making it unsafe. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, sit down.
You do not have the call.