Cash, Sen Michaelia

Senator CASH (Western Australia—Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (12:46): I, too, rise to address what is meant to be a debate in relation to whether or not the Senate should suspend standing orders, but I have to say, despite Senator Shoebridge not quite addressing the actual question before the chair, I'm glad he gave the speech that he did. You see, this is the reason that the Liberal Party will not be supporting the suspension of standard orders. Unfortunately, what we've seen on, technically, the first day back for the sitting year—as we know, there are three certainties in life. The first is, unfortunately, death. The second is taxes. The third, as we just saw, is the Greens' hatred of Israel. As far as the Liberal Party is concerned, this is just another day, another stunt, in the lives of the Australian Greens, at the expense of us being able to move on to legislation that does need to be debated and passed in this place, and, as I said, we've barely commenced the parliamentary sitting year for 2026. Unfortunately, this motion is entirely consistent with the Greens' approach to Israel. This is just another opportunity—and this was articulated in the speech—for the Australian Greens to grandstand, but it's more than that, and this is why we will not be supporting the suspension motion. This is merely an opportunity for the Australian Greens to import—or should I say 'attempt to import', because I do hope that the suspension motion does not get up—protest politics into the Senate chamber. It is just another effort by the Australian Greens to turn the Senate's procedures into a platform for performance—it wasn't a great performance, to be honest; I've seen you do better—rather than for serious debate. Another reason that the suspension should not be supported is in relation to the hypocrisy of the motion that we currently have before the chamber and the actions less than two months after the Islamic terrorist attack in Bondi, in which, as we know, 15 Australians were brutally murdered. The Australian Greens are asking us to suspend standing orders to debate a motion that would stop the president of the only Jewish majority country in the world coming to Australia. This is of vital importance to the Jewish community, given the murder of 15 Jewish people. Senator Shoebridge: Let's just ignore the genocide aspect. Senator CASH: You can see, from the parroting going on in the back here, that the Greens know this is of vital importance to the Jewish community, but two weeks ago they stood in this place and said they were in solidarity with the Jewish community. Well, asking for the suspension today— The PRESIDENT: Senator Cash, please resume your seat. Senator McKim? Senator McKim: My point of order is in relation to relevance. You were very strict in applying that criteria to Senator Shoebridge. I ask that you apply the same standards to Senator Cash, who's clearly not making an argument as to what— The PRESIDENT: Senator McKim, resume your seat. Firstly, I'm going to remind the Greens that Senator Shoebridge was heard in silence. I've called you to order twice already. Senator Cash has the right to be heard in silence. If you don't wish to hear her contribution, you may leave the chamber. Secondly, there is no point of order because Senator Cash is being directly relevant to the suspension motion. Please continue, Senator Cash. Senator CASH: Again, this is not a debate on the motion. This is a debate on whether there is urgency for the Senate to actually choose to suspend standing orders to allow the motion to be debated. As I said, the Senate should not play along with the theatrics and the acting of the Australian Greens. Let us be clear: this is a matter of foreign affairs. Australia's relationship with Israel should not be used as a prop, as it is being used, for parliamentary theatrics. Israel is a friend of Australia. Israel is a democratic partner. It is a strategic security partner. You don't have to agree with everything Israel says, obviously, but the Australian Greens do not want to debate. Senator Allman-Payne: The UN says it's genocide! Senator CASH: You can see it now. Senator Allman-Payne interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! I have called you to order. Senator Shoebridge was heard in absolute silence, as Senator Cash will be and as any other speaker in this debate will be. If that doesn't suit you, leave the chamber. Senator Cash, please continue. Senator CASH: I think it's actually really disappointing because every person who comes into this chamber is able to express an opinion in relation to the question before the chair. As you said, President, Senator Shoebridge was heard in silence when he spoke of why there should be a suspension of standing orders. Unfortunately what the Australian people are now witnessing is the Australian Greens saying, 'It's my way or the highway.' Well, the bad news is that, in this case, we are not going to support the suspension. The fact that they're talking now shows that the Greens want to silence anybody who does not agree with them. Quite frankly, that is one of the reasons that this suspension motion should not go ahead. There are proper avenues for debate. There are proper ways to put views on the record. There are proper mechanisms for scrutiny and accountability. The way the Greens are behaving now is not one of them.