Middle East

Mehreen Faruqi

I seek leave to move a motion relating to Gaza, as circulated.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice standing in the name of Senator Shoebridge, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion relating to Gaza.

Three years of Israel's genocide in Gaza; three years of mass murder of Palestinians; three years of killing more than 21,000 Palestinian children; three years of hundreds of aid workers and journalists hunted and killed; three years of violently and rapidly expanding illegal settlements in the West Bank; three years and counting of Israel's depravity and evil—

Sue Lines

Senator Faruqi, I'm going to stop you there and remind you that you need to talk about why the matter is urgent and why you need to suspend standing orders. You need to talk to the suspension and not to the substantive matter of the motion.

Mehreen Faruqi

The substantive matter is genocide. It's been three years of genocide where the Albanese government has done nothing. That is why the matter is urgent. We bring this motion as an urgency motion for the government to act. This government can't call these atrocities and war crimes what they really are, which is genocide. That is why this matter is urgent: because for three years the Albanese government has taken no action to stop the genocide. For three years, the Albanese government's impunity and active support for Israel's depravity and evil has led to this genocide continuing. That is why this matter is urgent. Rather than stopping the arms trade and rather than imposing sanctions on Israel to stop this genocide, they've been trying to shut down those of us who have been calling out this injustice and this genocide. That is why this matter is urgent. An overwhelming majority of Australians think that what Israel is doing is wrong. That is why this matter is urgent. But, rather than stopping the genocide, what the government has been doing for three years and counting is weaponising legislation to silence us. Rather than stopping the genocide, what the Albanese government, with One Nation and with the coalition, have been doing is gaslighting those who try to speak out.

Sue Lines

Senator Faruqi, I remind you again that we are not debating the substantive motion. We are debating your motion to suspend.

Mehreen Faruqi

There's a genocide still going on, and that is why this matter is urgent. If this chamber can't see that, then I don't know what I have to do. This matter is urgent because this Senate needs to do something about this genocide. Despite all of their gaslighting, despite all of them trying to silence us, we haven't stopped. The movement hasn't stopped, and we won't stop. This matter of genocide that we have put on the table today and have been putting on the table for the last three years needs to have some action taken against it today. Who the Labor government chooses to align Australia with tells you everything that you need to know about their values.

Sue Lines

Senator Faruqi, once again, you are debating the motion instead of the motion to suspend standing orders.

Mehreen Faruqi

It is urgent because even since the so-called ceasefire Israel has killed four Palestinians per day on average. The Albanese government can't just wash their hands of not acting on a genocide. They can't wash their hands of the blood of Palestinians. It is on their hands. This is why this matter is urgent. I've said before that the Prime Minister has never met a billionaire he didn't love, but watching him take selfies with one of the active participants of this genocide, Trump, is particularly galling—

Sue Lines

Senator Faruqi.

Mehreen Faruqi

The Prime Minister—

Sue Lines

Senator Faruqi, if I call you, you stop. I've reminded you again—you are not debating the motion; you are debating your motion to suspend. They are different.

Mehreen Faruqi

The genocide hasn't stopped. You can try and stop me, but the genocide hasn't stopped. The illegal settlements go on. The violence goes on. The mass displacement goes on. The killing of children goes on. You can try to stop me however much you like, calling on—

Sue Lines

Senator Faruqi.

Senator Faruqi, come to order! I have been absolutely consistent with suspensions since I was elected president of this chamber. I direct everyone, every single senator, who is not talking about a suspension back to the matter. I have been absolutely consistent and I'm being consistent now. It's not a choice I'm making to stop you. I am upholding the standing orders of this chamber, and that is clearly my role as president. Please continue.

Mehreen Faruqi

This matter is urgent because, instead of siding with humanity for Palestinians, our government chooses to cosy up with Trump, a warmonger whose barbaric ideas include threats to annihilate Iran, a fanatic whose so-called peace plan has prevented justice for Palestinians. Trump is a sadistic con artist who now plans to—

Sue Lines

Senator Faruqi, once again—

Senator Faruqi, I've called you once again.

Senator Faruqi, if you don't come to order, I will seek the assistance of the chamber, and you won't be heard. In your final moments, please refer to your motion to suspend standing orders.

Mehreen Faruqi

This motion is urgent, and it should be debated today because people around this country and people around the globe are calling on their governments to name the atrocities for what they really are—a genocide—and for this government to urgently pass the Red Lines Package Omnibus Bill 2026, which will stop any future government from going down this path of complicity and genocide; will expel the Israeli ambassador; will impose sanctions on Israel; and will end the two-way arms trade.

Sue Lines

Thank you, Senator Faruqi. Your time has expired.

Mehreen Faruqi

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.

Sue Lines

Your time has expired, Senator Faruqi.

Pauline Hanson

You're a disgrace.

Sue Lines

Senator Hanson, withdraw that remark.

No, Senator Hanson. You stand up and you withdraw.

Pauline Hanson

I withdraw.

Sue Lines

Thank you.

Katy Gallagher

I move:

That the question be now put.

Sue Lines

The question is that the motion put by Senator Gallagher be agreed to.