Over in the Senate, Penny Wong is pushing to censure Senator Pauline Hanson for her comments suggesting there were no “good Muslims”.
“Nearly a million Australians practice Islam. They are doctors, nurses, trainers, teachers, small business owners, firefighters, police officers and veterans. They are imams, community leaders and role models,” Wong said.
“They are the first to condemn the radical extremists who commit terrorist acts in the name of religion, and to claim that none of them are good is to say there are no good Australians amongst them,” she said.
Wong said freedom of speech was a cherished part of Australian democracy, but with that came responsibility.
“Especially for people elected in this case. Words of parliamentarians echo into classrooms, workplaces, communities. They help shape how others see each other and how they see themselves. A nation divided against itself is a nation diminished,” she said.
