2020-09-03
It's good to see that the government has seen some sense in having an inquiry. But you have been dragged kicking and screaming to the table, embarrassed with your tail between your legs.
Honourable senators interjecting—
Senator FARUQI: No, I'm not going to lower my volume. This is a big issue and it's a shame that Senator Pauline Hanson's One Nation has become, even more so during the pandemic, just an arm of the Liberal-National government. We on this side of the chamber want to keep you accountable and transparent and scrutinise your decisions. I thank every single member sitting on this side of the chamber for doing that. We are doing our jobs and you have been pushing against us, pushing against scrutiny.
You gave us six days to look at the exposure draft of this bill—six days, not even one week! What are you afraid of really? Are you afraid that everyone will find out how destructive your uni fee hikes and funding cuts bill is? Are you afraid that everyone will find out your juvenile Murdoch-driven hatred of humanities in universities? Are you afraid that your bill doesn't at all do what you say it does? You are cowards and we will expose you. We will expose you through this inquiry. We want the 30 November date as well, but we will expose you no matter what inquiry we get. We are here to do our jobs, to keep you accountable, to make sure that every single person in Australia finds out how destructive your horrible piece of legislation is.
The PRESIDENT: I'm going to put the amendment moved by Senator Gallagher first because that pushes out the reporting date. The question is that the Senator Gallagher's amendment for a reporting date of 30 November 2020 be agreed to.