SENATOR JENNY MCALLISTER

CHAIR, FINANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFERENCES COMMITTEE

SENATOR FOR NEW SOUTH WALES

WHAT A DIFFERENCE TWO YEARS MAKES

Malcolm Turnbull: “I have great faith that the Australian people, in that plebiscite, as they have in one contentious issue after another for the whole time this Commonwealth has been one, will be able to debate this issue in a sensible, civil and intelligent manner.”

(Hansard, Thursday 22 October 2015)

Malcolm Turnbull: “People will often say in any democratic debate, they’ll often say things that are hurtful and unfair and sometimes cruel, that is part of a debate.”

(2DayFM, Tuesday 22 August 2017)

There have now been multiple reports of hateful campaign materials. This is a development everyone except the Prime Minister saw coming.

This government proceeded with a postal survey in spite of countless warnings from community groups.

After promising everyone a ‘sensible, civil and intelligent’ debate, the Prime Minister is now trying to normalise ‘hurtful, unfair and sometimes cruel’ speech as just a part of ordinary democratic debate.

It is not.

I would encourage concerned members of the community to bring offensive, misleading or intimidating campaign material or behaviour to the attention of the Senate inquiry into the postal survey by making a formal submission to the secretariat.

People should make any submissions in writing to the secretariat of the Committee.

Committee Secretariat contact:

Senate Finance and Public Administration Committees
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600 

Phone: +61 2 6277 3439
Fax: +61 2 6277 5809
[email protected]

ENDS

TUESDAY, 22 AUGUST 2017

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