Penny Wong attacks government backflip on “white” vote
Penny Wong says government walked away from “white” vote because it was trying to save Wentworth at Saturday’s by-election.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has asked the Senate to recommit Pauline Hanson’s “it’s OK to be white” motion, saying the Coalition’s earlier position to oppose it should have been maintained.
Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong attacked the move as a “pathetic attempt at a clean up”.
Senator Wong said the government was trying to walk away from the “appalling” motion not because it was “wrong” but because it was trying to save the blue ribbon seat of Wentworth at Saturday’s by-election.
She said “everyone” knew the phrase was used by white supremacists and that people did not “believe” the government has simply made a “mistake”.
She questioned if government senators who “walked in here like sheep” to support Senator Hanson deserved to be in the chamber.
Attorney-General Christian Porter said he had no knowledge that a staffer from his office advised Coalition senators to vote in favour of the motion.
With the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Mr Cormann expressing regret for the blunder, Senator Hanson accused Mr Morrison of waking up with “white guilt”after the government withdrew its support for her motion.
Mr Porter said the directive sent from his office to back the motion was a mistake and its intent was misinterpreted by his office.
“An early email advising an approach on the motion went out from my office on this matter without my knowledge,” Mr Porter said in a statement.
“It appears that, of the very large number of motions on which my office’s views are routinely sought, this one was not escalated to me because it was interpreted in my office as a motion opposing racism. The associations of the language were not picked up. Had it been raised directly with me those issues would have been identified.”
Mr Porter said he would review his office procedures to try and prevent similar mistakes.
The One Nation leader labelled the backdown “it’s okay to be white guilt”.
“The Australian government has withdrawn support for Senator Hanson call to acknowledge the rise of anti-white racism and that it is okay to be white, claiming it was the ‘regrettable’ result of an ‘administrative process failure’,” Senator Hanson tweeted this morning.
IT'S OKAY TO BE WHITE GUILT
— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) October 15, 2018
The Australian Government has withdrawn support for Senator @PaulineHansonOz's call to acknowledge the rise of anti-white racism and that it is okay to be white, claiming it was the "regrettable" result of an "administrative process failure". #auspol https://t.co/Lj6Jh7zHXF
Ms Hanson said Labor, Liberal and the Greens were united in voting against a motion that condemns “attacks on Western civilisation and white people because of their skin colour”.
“One Nation is the only party promoting racial tolerance and support for the great achievements of Western civilisation,” Senator Hanson in a statement.
“As I stated on the floor of the Senate, I have always believed it’s okay to bed black, white or brindle.”
Earlier, the Government Senate Leader apologised for Coalition senators backing the motion.
Senator Cormann took full responsibility for the blunder that he blamed on an “administrative process failure”.
“When the motion was first put forward in September and we considered (the) motion, we made a decision to oppose that motion and to make a statement in our own words that as a government we deplore racism of any kind, but not to actually support the motion,” Senator Cormann said.
“Yesterday, as a result of an administrative process failure, the government senators in the chamber ended up, on advice, voting in support of the motion. As Leader of the Government in the Senate, I take responsibility for that error and I’m sorry that that happened. It is indeed regrettable.”
However yesterday afternoon Senator Cormann and Attorney-General Christian Porter both appeared to boast about supporting the motion.
Senator Cormann re-tweeted a post by Mr Porter saying: “The Government Senators’ actions in the Senate this afternoon confirm that the Government deplores racism of any kind.”
“The government indeed deplores racism of any kind,” Mr Cormann said in his re-tweet.
So â¦@MathiasCormannâ© - if it was an administrative error by you, why did â¦@cporterwaâ© tweet this yesterday? Why did â¦@Anne_Rustonâ© use the same language in the Senate? pic.twitter.com/ZJBT5IqguX
— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) October 15, 2018
Senator Cormann would not say whether backing the motion was a directive from the Attorney-General.
“I don’t support the form of words that’s in that motion and the government made a decision not to support that motion,” he said.
“There is no question in my mind that the decision that we made in September to oppose this motion is the decision that should have been implemented yesterday.
“As a result of an administrative process failure that didn’t happen and I regret that.”
Opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus slammed the government’s excuse as “flimsy and inadequate”.
Mr Dreyfus said it was wrong for Mr Porter to blame the blunder on his staff and an “administrative error”.
“As Attorney-General, Christian Porter is in charge of the Racial Discrimination Act and interpreting other complex legislation. Does he seriously expect Australians to believe that he couldn’t interpret what Senator Hanson’s motion meant? Mr Porter needs to front up and take responsibility for this himself,” Mr Dreyfus said in a statement.
“Up until late last night, Christian Porter was still trying to justify the government’s decision on Twitter, with Leader of the Senate Mathias Cormann himself, following suit.
“This is not something the government can just shrug off. This is government senators being seen to endorse a battle cry of the white supremacy movement inside the Australian parliament. It is appalling.”
Earlier Mr Morrison said it was “regrettable” Coalition senators supported the motion pushed by Senator Hanson.
Lucy Gichuhi deleted this tweet 15 minutes ago. https://t.co/gfjoTCwddx pic.twitter.com/EBA6YJAj4k
— Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) October 15, 2018
The Prime Minister had indicated Senator Cormann would address the issue later today, after claims Attorney-General Christian Porter instructed government senators to back One Nation’s motion.
“I’m sure all Australians stand against racism in whatever form it takes but the Leader of the Government in the Senate will be making a statement about that later today,” Mr Morrison said. “I found it regrettable but the Leader of the Government in the Senate will be making a statement on that shortly.”
The unsuccessful motion, brought forward by Pauline Hanson on Monday, also declared “anti-white” racism was on the rise in Australia.
Senator Hanson’s motion, which also recognised the “deplorable rise of anti-white racism and attacks on Western civilisation”, was defeated 31-28.
Moving the motion, Senator Hanson said “anyone who pays attention to the news or spends any time on social media has to acknowledge that there has been a rise in anti-white racism and a rise in attacks on the very ideals of Western civilisation”.
“I would also hope the Senate does the right thing and acknowledges it is indeed OK to be white. Such a simple sentence should go without saying but I suspect many members in this parliament would struggle to say it,” she said. “People have a right to be proud of their cultural background, whether they are black, white or brindle. If we cannot agree on this I think it’s safe to say white racism is well and truly rife in society.”
One Nation, Senator Anning, Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm and Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi supported the motion, while Centre Alliance, Senator Hinch and South Australian independent Tim Storer sided with Labor and the Greens to vote it down.
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