MOTIONS

Senator McKIM (Tasmania—Australian Greens Whip) (16:36): I seek leave to make a statement of no more than five minutes relating to the decision of Pauline Hanson's One Nation to deny me formality in relation to introducing a bill. Leave not granted. Senator McKIM: Pursuant to the contingent notice of motion standing in the name of Senator Waters, I move: That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from making a statement of no more than five minutes in regard to the decision of Pauline Hanson's One Nation senators to deny me leave for formality in relation to introducing a piece of legislation that seeks to provide greater protections for LGBTIQA+ Australians.

Now, let's be very clear about what is happening here, and let's be very clear about why the Senate should support suspending the standing orders. Yesterday, Pauline Hanson's One Nation sought to introduce into this parliament a transphobic, hateful piece of legislation in order to provide a platform with the protections of parliamentary privilege to allow a whole bunch of transphobic, bigoted people in this country to punch down on transgender folks and, in particular, on transgender children.

That's what One Nation tried to do yesterday. Then, when they lost that vote yesterday and were prevented from being able to provide a platform for hateful bigotry that would be harmful for transgender people right across this country, they had a giant sook about it. One of the ways that that sook manifested itself was their denying me and the Australian Greens leave and formality today for a bill that we want to introduce to provide greater protections not just for transgender folks but for people right across the queer community in this country.

I've got two questions for One Nation senators. The first is: Why are you so obsessed with other people's genitals and reproductive organs? What is wrong with you that you are so obsessed with other people's genitals and reproductive organs?

Do you know what? We've got a name for that in this country: perversion. You are perverts.

Get out of the gutter. Get out of people's underpants. Get out— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator O'Neill ): Senator McKim, your microphone is off.

Please resume your seat. It's one thing to be enthusiastic about your argument, but can I direct you to make your comments to the chair. I think it might be appropriate for you to withdraw that last comment.

Senator McKIM: I do withdraw that, but I do want to say that this fixation on other people's genitals—this fixation about which toilet people go into to do the things that every single human being in this chamber does every day—is a perversion. It is a fixation on genitals and a fixation on other people's reproductive organs that are at the foundation of so much that one Nation does and says.

The second question I have for One Nation senators—which I will ask through you, of course, Acting Deputy President—is: what has Pauline Hanson's One Nation got against transgender people, and why do they want to provide a platform for trans folk in this country to be harmed, to be hurt? These are people who just want to get on with their lives and be who they are, people who want to live their day-to-day lives free of harm, free of discrimination, like we all do as we go about our day-to-day lives, people who simply want to embrace who they are as human beings.

Why—I ask through you, Acting Deputy President—does Pauline Hanson's One Nation want to throw trans people under a bus in the name of their incessant culture wars in this country purely for political purpose? I want to say to trans people in this country—and I know I say this on behalf of all of my colleagues in the Australian Greens—we have your back. We are your allies.

We will fight to defend your right to be who you are. We acknowledge that as humans you deserve love and support for who you are, and we commit ourselves as a party and as a party room to being your allies and to giving you that love and support. We will always be there for you to defend your rights and to aggressively push back against people like Pauline Hanson's One Nation and anyone else—and I know there are others in this place, the transphobic elements—who seek to harm you, who seek to hurt you, who seek to demonise you, who seek to exploit you and who seek to allow you to be deliberately harmed because they think it suits their political agenda.

That is a despicable thing that you are doing to trans people, and we will always be here for trans folks because trans rights are human rights. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator McKim, have you finished your contribution? Senator McKIM: No, I haven't.

I've got six seconds to go. I'm not done yet. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Bell, are you standing to take a point of order?

Senator Bell: Yes, under 193(3). I do believe that Senator McKim crossed the line there with his statements that we were looking to cause people deliberate harm. It's an improper imputation of motivation and unparliamentary.

I ask him to withdraw. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I'm not sure that that's correct, but it would assist the chamber if Senator McKim could withdraw and complete your contribution. Senator McKIM: Acting Deputy President, because you have asked me to withdraw it, I will withdraw it, but could I please ask you to just review that ruling and come back to the chamber?

The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I will do so. I'll let the President know. Senator McKIM: Like you, I'm not sure that it did actually cross the threshold.

Honestly, they're just reinforcing what sooky la las they are, if you ask me, Acting Deputy President. We are here for trans folks. Trans rights are human rights.