Thursday, 28 November 2024
Members
Member for Berwick
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Members
Member for Berwick
Debate resumed on motion of Sonya Kilkenny:
That this house condemns the member for Berwick for bringing neo-Nazis into the Narre Warren community by organising and promoting a divisive protest.
And James Newbury’s amendment:
That the following words be inserted after the word ‘protest’: ‘and notes the member immediately reported the matter to Victoria Police; and that this house also condemns the behaviour of other Labor members of Parliament.’
And Gary Maas’s amendment to the amendment:
That, in relation to the amendment moved by the member for Brighton, the word ‘Labor’ be omitted and replaced with the word ‘Liberal’.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, I move that the question be now put, and further, in relation to 2B, I note, as I have advised the house, the National Party and Greens have both advised me they do not wish to speak on the motion.
The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Brighton, you cannot speak to a closure motion. You can move that the closure motion be put.
The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Brighton. Order! I have not yet heard from all party members. I will give party members that have not spoken an opportunity to speak.
James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, both parties have advised me they do not wish to speak.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! Premier.
James Newbury: Half a dozen of your members have spoken.
The SPEAKER: Order! I have not been advised by the parties, Manager of Opposition Business. If they wish to not speak, they need to advise the Speaker.
Jade Benham: On a point of order, Speaker, the Nationals do not wish to speak.
The SPEAKER: I still have not heard from all parties, and therefore I will continue with a motion until I have –
James Newbury: On a different point of order, Speaker, it is difficult with the Greens to always rely on them to attend, but they have advised me that they do not wish to speak.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Brighton! I need to rule on the point of order. I have not been advised by the Greens party that they do not wish to speak, therefore I will give them an opportunity to come into the chamber and either speak on the motion or advise me that they do not wish to speak on the motion. If they do not turn up in the next 10 minutes, then I will assume that the next speaker will be done.
Wayne Farnham: On a point of order, Speaker, continuing on from yesterday, I think there are not going to be many that disagree with me here that this is one of the grubbiest motions that has ever been put forward. This is low gutter politics by a party that is struggling in the polls. It is as simple as that. They are struggling, so they are using this as a deflection because of their own incompetence. The amount of rubbish that has been stated in this chamber in the last couple of days has been absolutely disgraceful. But what makes it even worse is when the Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier outside these doors calls someone racist – no apology. The member for Bentleigh would have to be one of the grubbiest politicians that has ever graced this chamber, and to call someone a racist –
Mary-Anne Thomas: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, the member for Narracan knows full well that he cannot stand on his feet and impugn members in the way that he is right now. I ask that you rule him out of order.
Wayne FARNHAM: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, it actually happened outside this chamber to me from the member for Bentleigh. That is factual.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Narracan, resume your seat. On the point of order, the original motion is a substantive motion, and that does mean that some remarks on a member can be said. The amendments are on a collection of members, and imputations on members are still disorderly outside the original substantive motion. I implore the member for Narracan to continue within the standing orders.
Wayne FARNHAM: I will go back to the motion. It is a disgraceful effort by this government what they are trying to do to the member for Berwick. It is disgraceful the way they have behaved. The member for Berwick is a hardworking member that had a community event about a lack of government consultation. That is what the event was about. Then we get the grubby politics from the other side of the chamber accusing the member for Berwick of being affiliated with neo-Nazis and white supremacy and all the other rubbish that they want to come up with because they are flailing in the polls. It is an absolute diversion to move the needle away from their incompetence and the fact that this state is in the toilet through their doing. That is the only reason why they are moving this motion. I will defend the member for Berwick to the next election. This has no place in this chamber.
Jordan CRUGNALE (Bass) (16:12): I rise to speak to the Minister for Planning and member for Carrum’s motion and reiterate the words of her contribution. I join with her and the extraordinary contributions from this side of the house by the member for Cranbourne, the member for Narre Warren South and the member for Bentleigh in support of the Sikh community. This is about community; this is not about the media. I join with them in the condemnation of those opposite that have fuelled division, effectively rolling out ‘the welcome mat of hate’. Victorians are entitled and right to be concerned, and in fact scared, about –
James Newbury: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, under standing order 155, I move:
That the question be now put.
The Greens member has advised that he no longer wishes to speak.
Vicki Ward: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, I am not aware that the member has now spoken to the Greens party –
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Members can resume their seats. You have asked the question be put. The Speaker, before leaving the chamber, did mention a period of time. I appreciate the Greens have now said they do not wish to speak, but the member for Bass has the call. I will hear a different point of order.
James NEWBURY: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, what the Speaker said was that the Speaker would give 10 minutes time to allow the Greens to come into the chamber and advise the Speaker of their wishes. The Greens member came into the chamber. It was not ‘and 10 minutes’; it was to advise the Speaker in the chair. The Greens came in immediately and provided that advice. The only reason the Speaker did not allow that question to be put immediately was because the Greens had not come into the chamber. If you refer to Hansard, it will be clear that was what the Speaker said, Deputy Speaker.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Speaker did not take the question because not all members had had a chance, and the Greens have advised me, but the member was given the call.
James Newbury: And you have now multiple times given me the call, Deputy Speaker. I move:
That the question be now put.
I am moving that motion.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am inclined to leave the member for Bass on her feet. The Manager of Opposition Business can obviously seek the call again once the member sits.
Jordan CRUGNALE: In fact scared about the regular occurrence of neo-Nazis turning up at events organised by, facilitated by and enabled by members of the Liberal Party – this has been enabled by the Liberal Party. It is an absolute disgrace.
Sam Groth: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, the member on her feet seems to be reading her speech.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Is the member referring to notes? The member is referring to notes.
Jordan CRUGNALE: It is an absolute disgrace that this is allowed to happen, that people are able to be fear-stricken –
Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, I desire to move:
That the question be now put.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I have ruled in regard to that a minute ago to –
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister! I have instructed the Manager of Opposition Business that obviously he can seek the call. The member has the call and is on her feet. I am not inclined to sit her down given previous events. I do not uphold the point of order.
Jordan CRUGNALE: Let me read out a caption of a photograph –
A member: You just said ‘read out’ – you just admitted you are reading it.
Jordan CRUGNALE: Well, yes, because it is a quote that was posted online. It is a photograph of people in black shirts whose values are absolutely despicable and have no place in this state; in fact they are the subject of legislation that we passed.
Brad Rowswell: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, I have great respect for you and the way in which you preside over this chamber, I truly do. I understand the circumstance that you are in and that your inclination is not to sit the member down given that both the member for Brighton and the member for Evelyn have moved that the question be put. That said, the nature of this motion is to sledge a member of the opposition. That is the absolute intent of this motion.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The point of order is?
Brad Rowswell: I understand that you do not wish to set a precedent, but on this occasion, given the nature of the motion, I would humbly put it to you, respectfully put it to you, that for these circumstances it is the right thing to do. Therefore I also desire to move:
That the question be now put.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Sandringham, unfortunately that is not a point of order, and I have made the ruling on that.
Vicki Ward: On a point of order, Deputy Speaker, can I ask you that the clock be paused the next time there is a vexatious point of order.
David Southwick: On the point of order, Deputy Speaker, there have been many times, particularly yesterday, when there were points of order called by Labor’s side that were frivolous points of order and were taken, and at no time did we ask for the clock to be reset. I think that that is a frivolous point of order, and I ask you to rule the minister’s point of order out of order.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I already had, or was going to.
Jordan CRUGNALE: That caption of that photograph says, and I quote:
Me and the boys at the Liberal Party Klan rally at Berwick Springs on Tuesday –
A member: How did he spell clan?
Jordan CRUGNALE: With a K; he spelled clan with a K –
to take the lake back for the White Man!
This is where we again have been unequivocal in our rejection of any of the statements that are by these people and also any environment created to enable them to have a voice. People would be well within their rights to ask and to imagine how successful the member for Berwick would have been –
James Newbury: I move:
That the member be no longer be heard.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am not inclined to start down that road. If we could, we could possibly stop the clock, we would have a division, and then the clock would start again. I would encourage the member for Bass to finish her contribution, and then I am sure you will stand.
Jordan CRUGNALE: People would be well within their rights to ask and to imagine how successful the member for Berwick would have been in organising a rally – let us call it a protest, actually – alongside Mrs Ann-Marie Hermans in the other place if this was not about a proposal to name a man-made lake that had no name before. People would have been entitled to question whether the rally would have even occurred if the proposed name had not been a multicultural celebration. There was no name. Had this been a white, middle-class name, had this been a name that fit in with every other name of the prevailing views over generations and many decades, would this rally or protest event even occurred? Would it have occurred if the lake was proposed to be named Mary MacKillop Lake or Spring Valley Lake? The answer is probably no, and you have to ask why, meaning that if it is a multicultural name under the Liberals, and under a Liberal government multiculturalism is not welcome –
Members interjecting.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Leader of the House is on her feet. I have given the Leader of the House the call.
That the question be now put.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I accept the motion.
Motion agreed to.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Minister for Planning has moved the motion listed as order of the day no 4 on the notice paper. The member for Brighton has moved an amendment to the motion. He has proposed inserting the words ‘notes the member immediately reported the matter to Victoria Police; and that this house also condemns the behaviour of other Labor members of Parliament’ after the word ‘protest’. The member for Narre Warren South then moved an amendment to the member for Brighton’s amendment proposing to omit the word ‘Labor’ and insert the word ‘Liberal’ in its place. I will first put the question on the member for Narre Warren South’s amendment because the amendment seeks to omit a word. The question is:
That the word proposed to be omitted stand part of the amendment.
Those supporting the amendment moved by the member for Narre Warren South should vote no.
Assembly divided on question:
Ayes (24): Brad Battin, Jade Benham, Roma Britnell, Tim Bull, Martin Cameron, Chris Crewther, Wayne Farnham, Sam Groth, Matthew Guy, David Hodgett, Tim McCurdy, Cindy McLeish, James Newbury, Danny O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Kim O’Keeffe, John Pesutto, Richard Riordan, Brad Rowswell, David Southwick, Bridget Vallence, Peter Walsh, Kim Wells, Nicole Werner
Noes (49): Juliana Addison, Jacinta Allan, Colin Brooks, Josh Bull, Anthony Carbines, Ben Carroll, Anthony Cianflone, Sarah Connolly, Chris Couzens, Jordan Crugnale, Lily D’Ambrosio, Daniela De Martino, Steve Dimopoulos, Eden Foster, Matt Fregon, Ella George, Luba Grigorovitch, Bronwyn Halfpenny, Katie Hall, Paul Hamer, Mathew Hilakari, Melissa Horne, Natalie Hutchins, Sonya Kilkenny, Nathan Lambert, Gary Maas, Alison Marchant, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Steve McGhie, Paul Mercurio, John Mullahy, Danny Pearson, Pauline Richards, Tim Richardson, Michaela Settle, Ros Spence, Nick Staikos, Natalie Suleyman, Meng Heang Tak, Jackson Taylor, Nina Taylor, Kat Theophanous, Mary-Anne Thomas, Emma Vulin, Iwan Walters, Vicki Ward, Dylan Wight, Gabrielle Williams, Belinda Wilson
Question defeated.
The SPEAKER: As the house has agreed to the first part of the member’s amendment, I will now put the question on the proposal to insert the word ‘Liberal’ into the member for Brighton’s amendment. The question is:
That the word ‘Liberal’ be accordingly inserted.
Assembly divided on question:
Ayes (49): Juliana Addison, Jacinta Allan, Colin Brooks, Josh Bull, Anthony Carbines, Ben Carroll, Anthony Cianflone, Sarah Connolly, Chris Couzens, Jordan Crugnale, Lily D’Ambrosio, Daniela De Martino, Steve Dimopoulos, Eden Foster, Matt Fregon, Ella George, Luba Grigorovitch, Bronwyn Halfpenny, Katie Hall, Paul Hamer, Mathew Hilakari, Melissa Horne, Natalie Hutchins, Sonya Kilkenny, Nathan Lambert, Gary Maas, Alison Marchant, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Steve McGhie, Paul Mercurio, John Mullahy, Danny Pearson, Pauline Richards, Tim Richardson, Michaela Settle, Ros Spence, Nick Staikos, Natalie Suleyman, Meng Heang Tak, Jackson Taylor, Nina Taylor, Kat Theophanous, Mary-Anne Thomas, Emma Vulin, Iwan Walters, Vicki Ward, Dylan Wight, Gabrielle Williams, Belinda Wilson
Noes (24): Brad Battin, Jade Benham, Roma Britnell, Tim Bull, Martin Cameron, Chris Crewther, Wayne Farnham, Sam Groth, Matthew Guy, David Hodgett, Tim McCurdy, Cindy McLeish, James Newbury, Danny O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Kim O’Keeffe, John Pesutto, Richard Riordan, Brad Rowswell, David Southwick, Bridget Vallence, Peter Walsh, Kim Wells, Nicole Werner
Question agreed to.
The SPEAKER: I will now put the question on the member for Brighton’s amendment as amended by the member for Narre Warren South’s amendment. Because the amendment seeks to insert words, the question is:
That the words proposed to be inserted by the member for Brighton, as amended, be so inserted.
Assembly divided on question:
Ayes (24): Brad Battin, Jade Benham, Roma Britnell, Tim Bull, Martin Cameron, Chris Crewther, Wayne Farnham, Sam Groth, Matthew Guy, David Hodgett, Tim McCurdy, Cindy McLeish, James Newbury, Danny O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Kim O’Keeffe, John Pesutto, Richard Riordan, Brad Rowswell, David Southwick, Bridget Vallence, Peter Walsh, Kim Wells, Nicole Werner
Noes (49): Juliana Addison, Jacinta Allan, Colin Brooks, Josh Bull, Anthony Carbines, Ben Carroll, Anthony Cianflone, Sarah Connolly, Chris Couzens, Jordan Crugnale, Lily D’Ambrosio, Daniela De Martino, Steve Dimopoulos, Eden Foster, Matt Fregon, Ella George, Luba Grigorovitch, Bronwyn Halfpenny, Katie Hall, Paul Hamer, Mathew Hilakari, Melissa Horne, Natalie Hutchins, Sonya Kilkenny, Nathan Lambert, Gary Maas, Alison Marchant, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Steve McGhie, Paul Mercurio, John Mullahy, Danny Pearson, Pauline Richards, Tim Richardson, Michaela Settle, Ros Spence, Nick Staikos, Natalie Suleyman, Meng Heang Tak, Jackson Taylor, Nina Taylor, Kat Theophanous, Mary-Anne Thomas, Emma Vulin, Iwan Walters, Vicki Ward, Dylan Wight, Gabrielle Williams, Belinda Wilson
Question defeated.
Assembly divided on motion:
Ayes (49): Juliana Addison, Jacinta Allan, Colin Brooks, Josh Bull, Anthony Carbines, Ben Carroll, Anthony Cianflone, Sarah Connolly, Chris Couzens, Jordan Crugnale, Lily D’Ambrosio, Daniela De Martino, Steve Dimopoulos, Eden Foster, Matt Fregon, Ella George, Luba Grigorovitch, Bronwyn Halfpenny, Katie Hall, Paul Hamer, Mathew Hilakari, Melissa Horne, Natalie Hutchins, Sonya Kilkenny, Nathan Lambert, Gary Maas, Alison Marchant, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Steve McGhie, Paul Mercurio, John Mullahy, Danny Pearson, Pauline Richards, Tim Richardson, Michaela Settle, Ros Spence, Nick Staikos, Natalie Suleyman, Meng Heang Tak, Jackson Taylor, Nina Taylor, Kat Theophanous, Mary-Anne Thomas, Emma Vulin, Iwan Walters, Vicki Ward, Dylan Wight, Gabrielle Williams, Belinda Wilson
Noes (24): Brad Battin, Jade Benham, Roma Britnell, Tim Bull, Martin Cameron, Chris Crewther, Wayne Farnham, Sam Groth, Matthew Guy, David Hodgett, Tim McCurdy, Cindy McLeish, James Newbury, Danny O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Kim O’Keeffe, John Pesutto, Richard Riordan, Brad Rowswell, David Southwick, Bridget Vallence, Peter Walsh, Kim Wells, Nicole Werner
Motion agreed to.