Senator BIRMINGHAM (South Australia—Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (09:31): I seek leave to move a motion relating to consideration of legislation as circulated in the chamber. It would allow for consideration this morning of the Criminal Code Amendment (Prohibition of Nazi Symbols) Bill 2023. Leave not granted. Senator BIRMINGHAM: Pursuant to contingent notice of motion standing in my name, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent Senator Birmingham moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion that would provide for consideration of the Criminal Code Amendment (Prohibition of Nazi Symbols) Bill 2023. Senator Watt: Are you going to move the expulsion of your far-right members? Senator BIRMINGHAM: The unity with which all mainstream political parties in Australia have stood against Nazi ideology, Nazi sympathisers and Nazi propaganda— Senator Watt: You sent the text messages. Senator BIRMINGHAM: has provided a strong and enduring protection against a known evil being able to inflict harm on our society. Senator Henderson: You are a disgrace. The PRESIDENT: Senator Birmingham, could you resume your seat. Senator Watt: You're a disgrace. The PRESIDENT: Senator Watt, order! Senator Henderson, please resume your seat. I will come back to you. Senator Henderson: President— The PRESIDENT: I've asked you to resume your seat, Senator Henderson. Senator Cash: Filthy grub. The PRESIDENT: Senator Cash, I ask you to withdraw that remark. Senator Cash: I withdraw. The PRESIDENT: Thank you. Senator Henderson? Senator Henderson: President, Senator Watt said the most disgraceful thing. He is to withdraw it. I am disgusted in you. I'm so disgusted in you. The PRESIDENT: Senator Henderson, I did not hear the remark, but in the interests of the Senate I ask Senator Watt to withdraw. Senator Watt: Madam President, I withdraw. I referred to the text messages that Senator Henderson sent. That's what I said. I withdraw. The PRESIDENT: Thank you. I think we just need to take a moment. I ask senators to listen to the debate about the suspension of the standing orders to rearrange the business. I remind senators that that is really what we are talking about—about why we think it's urgent to rearrange the business. I ask senators to refrain from interjecting across the chamber. Senator BIRMINGHAM: In light of what we just saw at the commencement of this debate, I'm going to repeat the first couple of sentences of my contribution because I think they are as important as ever. The unity with which all mainstream political parties in Australia have stood against Nazi ideology, Nazi sympathisers and Nazi propaganda has provided a strong and enduring protection against a known evil being able to inflict harm on our society. To fracture that unity would be to open a crack to people whose views are repugnant, are dangerous and are divisive. We must continue to stand as one against an ideology that is most associated— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Birmingham, I'm sorry. I'm asking you to resume your seat. I have asked senators to listen in respectful silence. Interjections to other senators across the chamber is incredibly disorderly. Senator BIRMINGHAM: I find it remarkable that I'm having to be sat down on multiple occasions due to interjections on an issue like this. We must continue to stand as one against an ideology that is most associated with acts of genocide, mass murder and other forms of persecution. As a nation, we have successfully stood against Nazism in a number of ways, and we should seek to continue to do so. We do so through active remembrance, awareness and knowledge. The horrors of the Holocaust must never be forgotten, and I, alongside former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and many other members of the former government, are proud of what we did to establish Holocaust museums in a number of cities around Australia to ensure that we raised that type of awareness. We do so through efforts, at home and globally, to call out and to stamp out antisemitism. A powerful example of this is Australia's membership of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, membership that we took up on 4 June 2019, becoming the 33rd member country to do so, and in doing so adopting the following nonlegally binding wording of the definition of antisemitism: Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities. This working definition provides a strong basis, through IHRA and the work of many, to make sure that we are able to call out and weed out antisemitism where and when it occurs. We stand against, and protect ourselves against, Nazism by balancing our commitment to freedom of speech and freedom of association with actions to identify, monitor and act against ideologically motivated or religiously motivated extremism, especially where it can manifest itself in acts of violence or intimidation. For that, we have throughout the years increased the funding, the resourcing, the reporting, the openness and the transparency of our security agencies. We work with others, including the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, who report frequently on acts of antisemitism and, concerningly, have reported their growth in recent times. We have an individual responsibility to call out such actions. I did so recently myself when I came home from Canberra to find a brochure in my letterbox. 'Calling all white Australians', it was headlined, and it called to action to associate with organisations that I find repugnant in the promotion of their actions and their approach. It is for all of us to take every opportunity to do so, and we must also protect ourselves against Nazism and antisemitism by preventing the glorification of them in any way. That is what this bill, which we seek to bring on, does. We seek to bring this bill on in light of the rise of antisemitism that has been reported. We seek to bring it on in light of debates that have occurred in and around this place during the course of this week which we think means it is important to send a strong united signal on these matters. This bill is a modest and proportionate measure that responds to the risk to our country of civil discourse. We want to make sure that through this bill we are modelling it against similar legislation. I urge the Senate to enable this bill to be considered so we can take the type of strong and united stance that we should.