One Nation has worked with the Government to pass legislation through the Senate to remove a major stumbling block that will expand the medical cannabis and hemp markets.
Senator Roberts said, “This is a game changer for the medical cannabis and hemp industries.”
The Certification of Narcotic Exports bill replaces the ad hoc approvals for exports with a streamlined process giving certainty to medical cannabis and hemp growers and manufacturers.
One Nation supports natural, whole plant medical cannabis via doctor’s prescription for a medical need, issued from a chemist and on the PBS, but does not support recreational use of cannabis.
“It is a lifeline for thousands of people currently forced to use illegal medical cannabis at high prices, as affordable legal cannabis is hard to obtain,” added Senator Roberts.
The bill will lead to a quick expansion of Australian production for export, which will bring about a greater range and lower prices for Australian patients.
Senator Roberts stated, “Export volumes assist local companies to grow plants with a wider range of profiles, allowing a patient to receive cannabis developed for their specific medical condition.”
“Australia has a unique competitive advantage with perfect climate, existing transport infrastructure and the international standard of Good Manufacturing Practice already in place.”
“Queensland is at the forefront of this multi-billion dollar export industry with a manufacturing facility at Southport, and expected growth to $1 billion over next four years.”
Hemp is known for its strength, durability and versatility, has wide application and its market growth looks promising. One Nation calls on the government to honour the intentions of this legislation and put in place export rules for cannabis that facilitate growers and manufacturers accessing export market.
By refusing to accept accurate data on deaths in custody from the Australian Institute of Criminology in my Motion, the senate has effectively voted that they are not interested in data, not interested in objectivity and not interested in truth.
I stand by my belief and statement, and that is this: all lives matter. I will continue to support free speech as crucial to democracy and freedom, and that is essential for human progress.
Have we reached the ultimate stage of absurdity where some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born, while other people are not held responsible for what they themselves are doing today?
Transcript
Thank you Madam acting Deputy President. As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia, I want to speak on a fundamental for human progress. Freedom and Freedom of Speech. Freedom of speech is enshrined in our country after many high court rulings.
It’s not specifically covered in our constitution, yet it’s implied. And because the high court’s rulings, it is enshrined in our country, and yet today freedom of speech is under threat and it’s under threat in this parliament. In fact, our whole way of life is under threat.
Listen to these wise words of American, African-American economist and philosopher, Thomas Sowell. He says, “We are living in an era “where sanity is controversial. “and insanity is just another viewpoint. “and degeneracy only another lifestyle.”
And this point from Thomas Sowell, “Have we reached the ultimate stage of absurdity “when some people are held responsible “for things that happened before they were born, “while other people are not held responsible “for what they themselves are doing today?”
Take the case of All Lives Matter. Surely there wouldn’t be anyone in Australia who would disagree that all lives matter. Yet in just four days, we witnessed the following events. Labor Senator Helen Polley tweeted the words “all lives matter” last Tuesday.
And she was eaten alive by her own party. She retracted the tweet. Senator Pauline Hanson stated in her matter of public importance speech that we need, and she wants all people to be equal under the law.
Yet Greens senators, Rice and McKim and labor senators Ayres, labor senator Ayres, implied, or stated that Senator Hanson is racist and that I am racist. Senator McKim said it before I even, even started my speech. “Their statements and implied statements are false.
“They are lies and lies are a form of control. “People lie when they lack a coherent argument “and it cannot counter our position, “cannot counter our argument. “So they resort to personal attacks and lies.” Liberal speakers, during Senator Hanson’s matter of public importance said many times that all lives matter.
And Senator Hanson moved a motion then, tried to move a motion the next day that all lives matter. The government and labor stopped Senator Hanson. All senators in this chamber, except for me and Senator Hanson disagreed it seems that all lives matter.
So the people leading this country don’t think that all lives matter. The next day, the fourth day, I tried to present graph, prior to present data, showing the data on deaths in custody and the government stopped me. Stopped me, presenting their own data.
Notice that I said deaths in custody, not black deaths in custody, not Aboriginal deaths in custody, deaths in custody. And it came in this report. Now I’ll go through that data, from the Australian government’s own Australian Institute of criminology. It’s the latest report.
It’s the 2020 report entitled “Deaths in custody in Australia” written by Laura Dotty and Samantha Bricknell. in 2017-18, the rate of death in custody for prisoner types was indigenous persons, 0.14 per 100 prisoners, non indigenous persons, 0.18 per 100 prisoners.
Now non-indigenous appears to be 25% higher yet I tell the truth and I did not mislead. This would not be a statistically significant difference as the sample numbers are so small. So we can say without any, without any doubt that non-indigenous and indigenous persons died in custody at roughly the same rate.
The 2017, 2018 total deaths in police custody and custody related operations was indigenous people, three, non-indigenous people, 14. In 2017-18, 79% of indigenous deaths in prison custody were due to natural causes. 4/5 of deaths in prison custody were due to natural causes.
Over the decade to 2018, non-indigenous persons were nearly, non-indigenous persons were nearly twice as likely as indigenous persons to hang themselves in prison custody. Motor vehicle pursuits represented 38% of indigenous deaths in police custody and custody related operations.
Almost four in 10, driving the vehicle themselves. From 2006 to 2016, a 41% increase in indigenous imprisonment rates corresponded almost exactly with a 42% increase in people identifying as indigenous. In other words, the rate of indigenous deaths in custody stay the same in proportion and did not increase.
Using the figure of 437 unconvicted indigenous deaths without reference to critical detail and context results in a distorted discussion of indigenous issues. And when real issues remain hidden, they cannot be solved. That leads to proposed solutions being not useful and possibly harmful.
The issue is not unequal treatment before the law, the real issue for Aboriginal people, maybe lifestyle or cultural or poverty or welfare dependency. But let’s have the truth because only then can we identify core problems and only then can we identify core solutions.
Only then can we really care for the disadvantaged and help them solve the challenges they face. But all people must be equal before the law. Another real issue then is dishonesty in parliament and fear of data. Fear of data, that’s what brings objectivity.
And yet the people in this parliament run from it. Their own data. So I wanna make these core points. Number one, these are hard data from the government’s own agency yet the government is jumping from its own shadow, afraid to debate, even though the points are supportive of their case.
That begs the question, is the government is afraid of a split within its own ranks? The wokes versus the real liberals? and several liberals have approached me and discussed the party’s fear of data and reality. Number two, the left or control side of politics hates data.
It undermines their use of opinion, hearsay, smears, emotions, propaganda, and lies to hijack issues. That fabricates victims and that weakens the very people they claim to be helping. Their ideology is based on victim-hood as a means of creating division and separation and that cripples people.
Thirdly, the government’s position in suppressing the data shows a fear of data, a disdain of data, a disrespect for people, highlights how, it highlights how issues are pushed to avoid data. Climate, Senator Ian McDonald stood up there.
The former Senator Ian McDonald stood up there in the last Monday of 2016 and said, looked across at me and said, “I don’t always agree with Senator Roberts, “but I’ve got to admit and respect him for starting “the debate on the climate science that we have never had “in this parliament and still have not had.”
The absence of data allows destructive policies that are hurting and killing people and certainly making life miserable financially, materially and emotionally. With the exception of Senator Hanson and myself, all other senators have effectively voted that all lives do not matter.
All other senators have effectively voted that they are not interested in data, not interested in objectivity, not interested in truth. I stand by my belief and statement, and that is this, all lives matter. I will continue to support free speech as crucial for democracy and freedom.
And essential for freedom that is essential for human progress. Thank you, Mr.President.
Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance and Jacqui Lambie last night voted down a Bill for mandatory sentencing for paedophiles. One Nation voted strongly in support of this Bill.
Transcript
Thank you, Mr. Acting Deputy President. As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia, I don’t serve just voters, I serve everyone who is a resident of Queensland and Australia. And that especially includes those who don’t vote because they’re too young.
I won’t go over the statistics, the gory details because they are horrific. Other speakers have done this from both sides of the chamber but I do serve the young. And why do I serve the young? Because the abuse of children is not only the most heinous crime.
It is also the destruction of our nation’s future. As I see it, the child, especially the young child up to about six is the embodiment of our universe. It is the ultimate expression of our universe. The lovely eyes of a child, and what is going on in the heart of that child from zero to six are the critical years.
According to Maria Montessori, he has done more work than anyone else ever on the development and behaviour of humans. And she says that zero to six are the critical years for the development of intellect and character. And some mongrel comes in and steals that person’s development, that young child’s development.
And I did look at yesterday and the day before, when I was in the Hunter Valley with Stuart Bonds, and we were helping some people who are victims at adult of corporate crimes, group crimes. And Stuart and his wife Sini have a lovely daughter called Penny.
And Penny is an absolute delight. Eye shining, heart pumping, asking questions. She’s only two and a half, but speaks like a four year old, speaks like an adult in many ways, full sentences. And I was just marvelling at that lovely little human, the embodiment of her universe, combined with the human spirit.
As Tom Peters said the renowned management expert, he said many years ago, and I’ll always remember this. “The height of our civilization is the four year old.” There’s developing, but they haven’t been corrupted by our society yet. And yet children need to be protected.
They’re naive, worse than that or more important than that, they’re innocent. And they can be preyed upon. They’re weak and vulnerable in many ways, despite that sparkle and that energy. And when somebody molests a young child, they’re doing enormous damage, lasting damage, terrible damage.
They’re not doing it just to the child because the child’s pain, plays out for the rest of her or his life. That is terrible. But then what happens to that pain? Is it sometimes gets transferred to other people when that child becomes an adult.
And so on the handing down of that pain, a lifetime of pain, a cost in sorting out that person’s problem sometimes later on the costs that are borne by our society, the cost that can be born by other individuals. And that is a huge cost to our society. So every way we look at this, this bill must go forward.
We know that sentences on paedophiles are not tough enough. We know that judges are being weak and society is not dealing with this vital issue anywhere near adequately. We must have much more serious sentencing because judges have shown they have been weak.
Now we’ve had questions about this bill, Senator Hanson and I have listened intensely to the Labour Shadow Minister for the Shadow Attorney General. And he made some good points, provided us with some data.
We then went to the Attorney General and listened to the Attorney General, reassured us on those points, reassured us on the checks and balances in this bill, because these are the worst of criminals, but they still need to be treated fairly and within the law.
This bill, as it is now sends a powerful message to the scum of our society, the absolute scum and dregs of our society. We must be tough on those who hurt the weak, who hurt the vulnerable, who hurt our kids. Our kids are the future. Our kids deserve to be free from this scum.
We are voting in favour of this bill because of our kids and I commend this bill to the Senate.
One Nation Senator Roberts’ requests for documents relating to the Government’s PFAS Taskforce have been denied.
Minister Ley’s department, through the PFAS Taskforce, is responsible for solving the PFAS contamination disaster zones across Australia.
“PFAS contamination on air force bases in Australia has destroyed the lives of those bordering the bases, yet the supposed plan to help these residents is being kept secret,” Senator Roberts stated.
Senator Roberts added, “On behalf of the residents, I want to know what meetings are happening, who is attending and what actions are being agreed upon to help these people.”
One Nation is committed to achieving like-for-like relocation of residents in the red zones across Australia, and fair compensation for affected businesses.
“Instead of fair compensation for residents the Government is forcing red zone residents into court where their settlements are feeding lawyers instead of families.”
“PFAS has been a known problem for over 15 years and the ongoing refusal to release documents that give residents confidence of a resolution, suggests the Minister is hiding something,” Senator Roberts said.
The Hunter Valley wetlands, which the government is responsible for maintaining, has PFAS contamination that requires remediation.
The plume from RAAF Base Williamtown is heading south-east and only 50m from the Hunter River at Fern Bay and heading to Worimi surf beach.
“An effective strategy would be to pipe the groundwater back to the RAAF base and use the PFAS treatment plant they have built there to clean that water,” suggested Senator Roberts. The Government must stop the delays, take responsibility and provide like-for-like remediation and fair compensation for affected residents immediately.
In 2011 the Gillard Government banned live cattle exports costing farming hundreds of millions of dollars.
Recently the Federal Court ruled that the ban was invalid and the government should pay compensation to farmers.
Today the Liberal and Nationals tried to introduce a motion claiming that they support the live cattle industry.
Well, I decided to see how firm their commitment was to farmers by introducing an amendment to their motion.
Take a listen and see what happened ……..
Transcript
Hi, I’m in Parliament House, Canberra. And I just wanted to bring you up to date with something that’s happened today. It goes back to the Gillard government’s capricious ban on live cattle exporting that hurt, devastated cattle industry right around the country.
Back, well, almost 10 years ago, 2011, I think it was. Anyway, it was recently ruled by the federal court to have been invalid. And compensation is to be paid to farmers around the country. Which is wonderful news.
So, the Nationals, led by Senator Canavan, it seems, decided to put a motion in the parliament, into the Senate today. And the motion said, “That the Senate “notes the federal government’s commitment and support “for the live animal export trade.”
So, we thought, okay, before that motion gets up, we’ll add an amendment. And our amendment says, “And calls on the government “to rule out appealing the federal courts decision “that Labor’s 2011 suspension of live cattle exports “was invalid.”
In other words, we want to make sure that the government does not appeal it. And so, as soon as I stood to move that amendment, it was denied. I was denied the formality of moving that. And Senator Cormann did that. he’s the leader of the government in the Senate.
He did that. And he said, the reason was because this amendment had only arrived with him and other senators in just minutes before. Well, the reality, the truth is that it was in the Senate chambers on every desk an hour and a quarter before. An hour and a quarter.
Plenty of time to consider it. So, what I noticed was, as soon as I sat down, Senator Canavan jumped to his feet, and said that he wanted to make a short statement. And that short statement said that he was talking with the government about not appealing.
So what we’ve done is we’ve forced them to recognise that they should not appeal. But we’ve had Senator Cormann contradict the truth. And we’ve had Senator Canavan apparently reacting to this. So that’s yet another way we get things done in parliament, even when they tell us to shut up.
Thank you, Madam Deputy President, as a servant to the people of Queensland in Australia, I support this bill, with reservations. Firstly, there is a growing belief among our governing class that Australian federalism relies, in many areas, on shared endeavour.
I do acknowledge that coordinated federalism, where each government works with the other, yet retains total determination over and exercise of, its own constitutional powers, needs some honing today. After all, the internet runs as a thread throughout society and connects us all across state borders.
Yet this does not mean, transfer of power, from the states to the Federal Government. This most definitely does not mean that. I’m advocating generally the reverse, that we need to send some powers back from the Federal Government, to the state governments, in accordance with our constitution.
It is fundamental to our constitution, and it is common sense, that the best service delivery, occurs when the person making a decision, is located closest to the people affected by that decision. I mean, that is obvious. That is the reverse of what has happened in our country since 1944.
The greater the distance apart, the worse the decision making. We need to stop centralising and restore competitive federalism. Competitive federalism, with six states working independently, yet together, is highly effective.
Our country was leading the world, in terms of per capita income from 1901, when we formed as a nation, to about the 1920s. And that was because of competitive federalism. I am concerned, secondly, that this bill… So before moving from that, I’ll just reiterate, that it is very important, to actually get back to competitive federalism, with the states working independently yet together.
My second point, is that I am concerned this bill will give the states, the chance to wash their hands of responsibility, for the integrity of the data in this register. I urge the Federal Government, to ensure that when this register is designed, there is suitable, effective grievance reporting, so people with an error in their entry, or who have been mistaken for someone else, can correct the record.
Australians have recently seen firsthand, a total failure of the Federal Government’s ID function, with the chaotic tragic Robodebt scheme. That’s not just a matter of having an apology from the government. It’s not just a matter of, hundreds of millions of dollars, approaching close to a billion being an error.
It’s wrecking people’s lives. And it’s important to understand, that the government never pays for its mistakes, the people do. And what I mean by that, is that the people pay twice. Once for what the government did, through our taxation system, and then through our own hip pockets.
For the consequences of the government’s error. And we can see that with the live cattle, banning that the Gillard government, put in place capriciously. Now we see the federal government, lining up to take over business registrations.
And people know that outsourcing the IT function, did not turn out so well for the government last time. Thirdly, I am concerned this bill, is not a bill about making a better system, for controlling business registrations and keeping track of company directors.
I am concerned, that the government has spotted yet another chance, to sling yet more taxpayers money, at one of their corporate backers. Who will it be? Mr. Acting Deputy President. KPMG, Indue, we can hardly wait to find out. But we will be watching.
All parties to this register, must show that the respect that is required, for the Australians whose livelihoods, whose legal liabilities are bound to this register. Please, Minister, take your time and get it right. Remember our constitution and competitive federalism, care about the people you are serving.
The government must do better this time. Because after all, government is here, by permission of the people, on behalf of the people, to serve the people. In accordance, and that service from government, must be in accordance, with our people’s governing document, our National Constitution.
In the Senate, I asked Senator Cormann three questions on the governments COVID19 response.
Transcript
[President]
Senator Roberts
[Roberts]
Thank you, Mr. President. My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. Southeast Asian nations like Taiwan quickly learned with regard to COVID that they just had to isolate the sick and the vulnerable.
And that allowed healthy and productive people in businesses to keep working and earning money. The result is that their economy in Taiwan and other Southeast Asian nations remained healthy, and they had far fewer deaths than Australia.
Minister, was there any consideration given in April to changing Australia’s COVID strategy when Taiwan and other Southeast Asian nations had already proved that their strategy worked and was far superior to your government’s strategy?
[President]
The Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann.
[Cormann]
Thank you very much, Mister President. When the crisis hit, there’s no question that we considered a whole range of alternative options on how best to respond to it, but in making decisions and in making judgements we were guided by the advice of relevant experts and in relation to how best to deal with the health threat,
We were guided principally by the advice of the Australian Health Principals Protection Committee, the chief medical and chief health officers from around Australia and the Commonwealth, and I think it’s fair to say for a range of reasons,
But the early decision to impose border restrictions in terms of non-residents who had spent any time of the previous 14 days in mainland China, not being able to come to Australia, and imposing quarantine requirements on Australians and permanent residents having spent time of the previous 14 days in mainland China, has demonstrably helped delay the spread of the virus,
Giving us time to prepare both in terms of the hospital capacity to deal with the potential inflow of patients, but also to prepare the risk management processes that would best equip us to save lives by suppressing, slowing down and suppressing the spread of the virus and helping to put, of course, the economic support measures in place.
While every single death is tragic and it’s one more than you would like to see, but again, I mean, comparatively speaking, comparatively speaking, the number of deaths in Australia is very low internationally. The number of infections is very low.
The number of community transmission is extremely low right now, and we believe that by and large, our strategy has worked. Now, I mean, this is not a perfect environment, you were presented with, we were presented with a rapidly evolving crisis situation.
We made the best possible judgments in the circumstances, guided by the expert advice. On balance, I believe
[President]
Order, Senator Cormann
[Cormann]
that we’ve made good decisions as a country.
[President]
Senator Roberts, supplementing question.
[Roberts]
Thank you, Mr. President. I acknowledge Senator Cormann’s statement, but he fails to acknowledge that the economy has been devastated as a result of the government’s strategy when other economies have not been devastated.
Minister, hasn’t your government’s COVID strategy put the Australian economy and many Australian small businesses and jobs at unnecessary risk and left us with a debt we had to have?
[President]
Senator Cormann.
[Cormann]
Thank you very much, Mr. President. It is certainly true that we were forced to impose significant sacrifices on many Australians. The restrictions that we had to put in place as a country on the economy in order to save lives by slowing down and suppressing the spread of the virus has imposed, of course, significant burdens on many businesses and on many working Australians.
That’s why we put in place the economic support package that we have, in order to provide, to keep as many businesses in business through the transition as possible, to keep as many working Australians connected to their employer during this transition as possible and to provide enhanced support to those Australians who, through no fault of their own, lost their job because of the Coronavirus crisis.
Now, you know, you can argue whether one decision or the other decision could have been made differently, but if you look at the outcomes, if you look at the actual outcomes, both on the health front and on an economic front, I think that Australia’s in a very good position, comparatively speaking
[President]
Order, Senator Cormann.
[Cormann]
to other countries around the world.
[President]
Senator Roberts, a final supplemental question.
[Roberts]
Thank you, Mr. President. Minister, everyday Australians want to know how the Prime Minister will ensure that if businesses do close or go into liquidation, that receivers and administrators will ensure that Australian jobs are preserved and that affected businesses can only be sold to Australians first and not be cheaply flogged off to foreigners.
[President]
Senator Cormann.
[Cormann]
Thank you very much, Mr. President. In relation to foreign investments, you’d be aware that the Treasurer’s put in place some temporary measures to ensure that Australian businesses dealing with the consequences and the impact of the Coronavirus crisis are protected as appropriate in the context of any attempt at foreign takeover.
But, you know, in a broader sense, in a broader sense, when we’re of course focused on doing everything we can to maximise the strength of the economic recovery on the other side, and then we also said that on the other side, in order to maximise the strength of the economic recovery we will need to rely on foreign investment into the future, to maximise our economic growth opportunity to the future.
The ABC has the time and the money to indulge their personal hostility to President Trump by using a video that sticks together two unrelated videos, that made it falsely appear that president was claiming George Floyd would be looking down from heaven, thinking President Trump’s job figures were a great thing to happen, when he was really referring to his improved policing fairness order.
Rather than needing more money, let me say that the cuts to the ABC need to go far further. When the ABC doubles down on their fake news by claiming the broadcast was a direct quote from the president, the cuts need to go far further.
When the ABC reports that U.S. employment fell when in fact employment rose by 2.5 million in a single month, the cuts need to go far further. The ABC are fake news and do not deserve the funding they fraudulently steal under false pretences.
I’m not sure I have ever seen such a gross and deliberate misrepresentation of facts than this report from the ABC.
Blatant dishonesty.
I’m ashamed that the ABC has been allowed to become unaccountable to the Australian people and the money that we fund it with.
Transcript
[Presenter]
Well US President Donald Trump has taken credit for an upsurge in American jobs, saying the country is largely through the Coronavirus pandemic.
The US employment rate has fallen for the firsts time since the pandemic began, from 14.7% in April to 13.3% in May, an increase of more than two million people employed, but the President’s comments that George Floyd would be happy about rising job figures has been widely condemned.
What actually happened:
[President Trump]
Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country. This is a great day for him, it’s a great day for everybody. This is a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day.
Equal justice under the law must mean that every American receives equal treatment in every encounter with law enforcement regardless of race, colour, gender, or creed. They have to receive fair treatment from law enforcement. They have to receive it.
We all saw what happened last week. We can’t let that happen. Hopefully George is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country. This is a great day for him. It’s a great day for everybody. This is a great day for everybody. This is a great, great day in terms of equality.
Senator Malcolm Roberts calls on the Prime Minister to demonstrate the same political leadership as President Trump and declare ANTIFA a terrorist organisation.
“We need to stop these far-left anarchists who use violence and fear to push their radical socialist agenda before they recruit and organise further in Australia,” Senator Roberts said.
“Australia is a peaceful democratic nation where people resolve our differences through mutual respect and debate, culminating at the ballot box.”
ANTIFA are already attacking police and intimidating innocent people attending public events in Australia.
Senator Roberts added, “All responsible politicians should be defenders of our cultural, social and democratic values and it is the Prime Minister’s job to act urgently and decisively to protect the social fabric of our peaceful society.”
Australia’s political leaders need to swiftly and ruthlessly safeguard Australia from this same fate.
ANTIFA protesters are self-proclaimed anti-capitalists, oppose freedom and democracy, and are destroying major cities in the USA.
Modelling themselves on previous ANTIFA movements going back as far as the 1930’s, their agenda has always been aligned with communist political parties aimed at bringing about the downfall of capitalism.
The irony of this movement is that ANTIFA (formed from the term anti-fascists) are themselves behaving as fascists to suppress opposition and call for strict obedience to their self-determined culture of control over others.
