STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator WHITTEN (Western Australia) (13:51): Yesterday, when Senator Hanson asked about Labor supporting terrorism with taxpayer funding, Minister Watt proudly jumped up and reminded us all that One Nation was the only party that voted against Labor's hate speech laws. Thank you, Minister Watt. I always appreciate an opportunity to remind Australia that One Nation is the only party that is serious about protecting free speech in this country.

Freedom of speech is not optional for a Western democracy; it is foundational. Being able to speak freely is a mechanism we use to protect and promote all the other rights that we enjoy. That is why One Nation stand against the Labor Party's sustained attacks on free speech.

But don't forget that it was the coalition government who first planned to give the ACMA powers to combat misinformation and disinformation. Labor cited these plans when they introduced their horrendous misinformation and disinformation bill. After the Bondi massacre, in came Labor's hate speech laws, supported by the coalition.

Now we are confronted by Labor's latest abomination, the digital duty of care. Labor won't stop here. They can't stand that Australian people are speaking out against them.

They can't stand that people are turning in droves to One Nation. Instead of changing and listening to the people, they are assembling their censorship apparatus. They take away your rights in the guise of protecting you.

How about this, Labor? Why don't you stop giving taxpayer money to fundamentalist Islamic organisations that hate this country? Why don't you stop bringing back women who aided and abetted terrorists?

Why don't you stop importing people from countries that your own departments deem too dangerous to travel to? This has never been about the safety of Australians. The only thing Australians truly need protecting from is this Labor government.

One Nation is the only party Australians can rely on to protect their right to free speech.