Wednesday, 11 May 2022

Members statements

Senator Lidia Thorpe

Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (09:39): I want to agree with Mr Grimley and his motion. I think it is a very important matter that he has brought to the chamber. Senator Lidia Thorpe was a member of this place and has now become a Greens senator in Canberra, representing Victoria. I think her extraordinary attacks on the police are simply unacceptable, and I think that Mr Grimley’s point is—

Mr Gepp interjected.

Mr DAVIS: Are you supporting what Lidia Thorpe said? Are you supporting what she said about—

The PRESIDENT: Mr Davis and Mr Gepp, that is not acceptable.

Mr DAVIS: Let the record record that Mr Gepp is standing by and supporting Senator Thorpe.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Davis! Your members statement, not against Mr Gepp, please. And I ask you to withdraw your comment.

Mr DAVIS: President, I was provoked by his behaviour.

The PRESIDENT: I ask you to withdraw your comment, please, against Mr Gepp.

Mr DAVIS: I withdraw that Mr Gepp is supporting Lidia Thorpe.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you. Continue your members statement.

Mr DAVIS: I can only conclude that Labor and Mr Gepp and others do stand by Senator Thorpe in the sense that they are very touchy about any point being made—

Ms Shing: On a point of order, President, if Mr Davis wants to level allegations, he should do so by way of substantive motion—and he knows this full well—in accordance with the standing orders.

Mr Finn: On the point of order, President, the point of order by Ms Shing is a nonsense. Mr Davis was referring to the Labor Party; he was not referring to any individual.

Ms Shing: Mr Gepp in particular. He named him.

Mr Finn: He was referring to the Labor Party. It is standard practice in this house that anybody can do that. For it to be ruled out would be a gross breach of the standards and the traditions of this place.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Davis to continue.

Mr DAVIS: I have only 13 seconds remaining, and I want to make the point that the police do an extraordinary—

Ms Shing: On a point of order, President, I have raised a point of order in relation to substantive allegations being raised by motion, rather than in a members statement.

The PRESIDENT: I believe Mr Davis is still within his members statement, not against it, but I will allow him to finish his members statement.

Mr Gepp: On a point of order, President, Mr Davis named me and Ms Shing’s point of order is absolutely correct. If he wants to press those allegations against me, he needs to do it by way of substantive motion, not hide behind the cover of the members statement. He named me after you had asked him to withdraw.

Dr Cumming: On the point of order, President, could I request that the member be allowed to have his members statement time again?

The PRESIDENT: Mr Gepp, I understand Ms Shing’s point of order and I understand your point, but I asked Mr Davis to withdraw his comment and he did. While he has gone back on it, there are still not allegations there. That is why I will allow him to finish it.

Dr Cumming: On another point of order, President, I am of the understanding that a members statement is not a debate. It is actually a statement. So please could he be allowed to have a members statement without a debate?

The PRESIDENT: I understand that. At the same time, a members statement is not to be used to attack others. There are other motions you can use. That is what Ms Shing is talking about.

Ms Shing: On the point of order, President, for avoidance of any doubt in relation to the issues that have been raised in the course of this point-of-order debate, can I ask that you review Hansard and make a determination based on what Mr Davis has said?

The PRESIDENT: I am happy to do that.

Mr DAVIS: This is a very simple matter. I respect the police, the opposition respects the police, I know Mr Grimley respects the police and the Victorian community respects the police. But clearly Senator Thorpe does not, and it seems that some in the Labor Party do not.