It’s a serious question, in the context of the worst social disharmony that I have seen, not just in my time in politics but in my time that I’ve been alive, in this country. It shouldn’t be weaponised. I condemn, totally, any form of antisemitism—including the comments by my local member, the member for Newtown, whose comments about ‘tentacles’, with regard to the Jewish community, I find offensive.
Mr FLETCHER (Bradfield—Manager of Opposition Business) (14:09): My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday, the member for Melbourne moved a shameful motion that attacked Israel and gave Hamas terrorists a free pass. Will the government today join the opposition in standing with Australia’s Jewish community and condemn the Greens for their blatantly antisemitic behaviour, or is the Prime Minister too dependent on Greens preferences and Greens support in the Senate to have the courage to do so?
Mr Burnell interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Spence will cease interjecting. Order!
Honourable members interjecting—
The SPEAKER: The House is going to come to order. The manager was heard in silence. The Prime Minister has the call.
Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:10): It’s a serious question, in the context of the worst social disharmony that I have seen, not just in my time in politics but in my time that I’ve been alive, in this country. It shouldn’t be weaponised. I condemn, totally, any form of antisemitism—including the comments by my local member, the member for Newtown, whose comments about ‘tentacles’, with regard to the Jewish community, I find offensive. I find it had its origins in antisemitism, and I condemn it unequivocally, just as I condemn forms that I have seen of Islamophobic comments and behaviour as well.
Now, no-one moved a motion in this parliament yesterday. There was an attempt to suspend standing orders yesterday—that’s what there was. And, when there’s an attempt to suspend standing orders, as someone who occupies the position of Manager of Opposition Business should know, that is the matter that is before the chair—nothing else; nothing else.
Mr Dutton interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition—
Mr Dutton interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Look, the Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting. The Prime Minister is being directly—
Government members interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Order! Order, members on my right!
Honourable members interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Order on my right and left! The Prime Minister is being directly relevant and talking about the motion that he was asked about, from yesterday. I’m going to call for silence.
Mr Dutton interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting.
Mr Watts interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Order! The Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs is warned. The Prime Minister, in continuation.
Mr ALBANESE: That was the matter that I understand was moved before this chamber: a suspension of standing orders, from a member of a minor political party. I’ve got to say that, when a suspension of standing orders is moved by the Greens political party, what I don’t do is elevate it.
Mr Dutton interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting.
Mr ALBANESE: What I don’t do also is to come into the chamber when there are micky votes that aren’t counted. I don’t do it, because, for obvious reasons, I have other things to do—other priorities. So, Mr Speaker, if the test— (Time expired)
Honourable members interjecting—
The SPEAKER: There’s far too much noise in the chamber.
Government members interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Members on my right, including the frontbench, will cease interjecting, so I can hear from—order! I’d like to hear from the member—
Honourable members interjecting—
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wannon?
Mr Tehan: The Minister for the Environment and Water made an unparliamentary remark. You did. And it would help the House—
The SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat. I call the Prime Minister on the point of order.
Mr ALBANESE: The context of the interjections that are going across this chamber—I would have thought the idea that there’s anyone on that side—I don’t accuse them, and they shouldn’t accuse anyone in my party of being anything other than totally opposed to racism in all its forms, including, of course, the rise of antisemitism.
The SPEAKER: I’ll deal with this matter. If everyone could cease interjecting across the chamber, we won’t be having this problem. I had immediately called for order in the chamber. If ministers are interjecting and opposition members are interjecting, I can’t hear them. From this moment on, for the remainder of question time, cease interjecting. We won’t have that problem. The House is in order.
Ms Plibersek: I’m happy to withdraw. I’d love to see the return to order of the chamber.
The SPEAKER: I thank the minister for assisting the House. Order! We shall move on.