Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia) (15:01): Pursuant to contingent notice and at the request of Senator Milne, I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent Senator Milne moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion relating to the vilification of refugees and asylum seekers. The last 24 hours have been an absolute low point for the opposition—scaremongering, dog whistling and the vilification of refugees and asylum seekers. Linking allegations of a serious sexual assault on a young woman to the Liberals' nasty, dog whistling politics of the day is simply revolting. Trying to suggest that all refugees and asylum seekers are criminals and that they should be put on a community alert list is nothing short of vilification. Fearmongering and whipping up hatred—that is what we have had from the opposition over the last 24 hours. It is vitally important that, as members of this place, we stand up when we see this type of horrid, revolting dog whistling behaviour. It is absolutely paramount that, when there are people who are fanning hatred, fanning the flames of vilification, fearmongering and spreading nasty rumours rather than fact—which is what the opposition have continued to do over the last 24 hours—we call them on it. We have a responsibility as the lawmakers of this country to uphold the law. What the opposition's immigration spokesperson suggested yesterday was that, just because somebody is a refugee or asylum seeker, they have to abide by different laws than everybody else. Thankfully there are some well-meaning and sensible people within the opposition who understand the rule of law. I congratulate Russell Broadbent and Mal Washer for standing up against this type of fearmongering and hatred being spread by the opposition—not just today but on a daily basis. How disgusting—to exploit an alleged serious assault on a young woman for their own political advantage. That is precisely what we saw the opposition doing yesterday and today. It is scraping the bottom of the barrel. Senator Ian Macdonald: On a point of order, Mr Deputy President: I thought this was a motion to establish urgency—to convince the Senate that there was a need to dispense with the Senate's normal program in order to deal with this. So far I have heard Senator Hanson-Young debate the substantive issue but have not heard one word about why we should be doing it today rather than at the appropriate time. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. These sorts of debates are generally allowed to range widely. Senator HANSON-YOUNG: Thankfully, people like Russell Broadbent and Mal Washer are willing to speak up against this type of hatred—unlike Senator Abetz who, when he arrived this morning, suggested that, because asylum seekers might not have proper language skills or had perhaps been traumatised by their experiences in their home countries, they are so much of a risk to the community that they should be on a community alert list. Senator Abetz this morning said: … I would have thought it'd be a good idea to say that somebody's moving next door to you that might not be able to have all the language skills that you might normally expect, or that they come from a traumatised background. What is next? How low are the coalition prepared to go in their vilification of innocent people? Trying to tar all refugees and asylum seekers because it suits the opposition's politics of the day is simply revolting. One of the reasons it is important that this parliament make a very clear statement that we will reject the vilification of refugees and asylum seekers is that the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, would not himself do this today. He has, yes, refused to rein Mr Morrison in. Despite the fact that Senator Abetz was right there, willing to gee him up, spread the hate and stoke the fire, Mr Abbott has not yet decided to speak out clearly against this type of hatred. It is time he did. It is important we vote on this today because it is things like this which contribute to the type of community, the type of society, we are. If we have elected representatives whipping up fear—fearmongering, spreading hate and asking people to do it with them—then shame on them. This parliament needs to make a very clear statement that we will not accept the vilification of refugees and asylum seekers. (Time expired)