STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator THORPE (Victoria—Independent VIC Whip) (13:48): Let's talk about immigration. It seems some people are hung up about it in this country. Let's talk about the first migrants here arriving by boat, bringing disease and blankets laced with poison—Cook's legacy.

Let's talk about how these migrants didn't conform to the laws of this land; in fact, they attempted to erase the oldest continuing culture on the planet. They didn't speak our languages. They didn't care for country and water.

They caused mass extinction. They didn't assimilate. They brought weapons and violence and started massacres across this continent.

They dispossessed, dominated and genocided. They stole babies. They displaced and imprisoned our people.

They do so to this very day. When we talk about this country being swamped by migrants, don't forget that the migrants are all of you. Migrants and their descendants make up 97 per cent of the population of so-called Australia today.

This land was already inhabited by us, the First Peoples of these lands. We have never been anywhere else. We welcome those seeking refuge here, those seeking to live in peace and with respect for our country, law and people.

Those we do not welcome are the colonisers and the racists. We are the real sovereign people of this country. We have language, we have culture and we have laws which protect and maintain these lands for all future generations, including yours.