Laws of the little people


Senator Brown shows how much contempt he has for parliamentary procedure.


hypocrisy noun
1: an expression of agreement that is not supported by real conviction, [syn: lip service]
2: insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not really have,
3: the act of indignant outrage perpetuated by numerous Greens politicians in the Australian Senate.

The perpetually outraged Senator from Hobart, Bob Brown, fails to acknowledge the blatant hypocrisy of his position with regards to an alleged breach of protocol by a government Senator in the chamber last week. Senator Brown has alleged that the pillars of democracy are under threat of being toppled by Senator McGuaran's obscene gesture on the floor of the Senate. I've no doubt that Bob has seen larger things pointed in his direction which he wasn't upset about. Perhaps the homosexual environmental socialist should cast his tiny mind back to October 2003, on the occasion of President Bush's visit to the Australian Parliament.

"First Brown interjected on the President: "Mr Bush, this is Australia. Respect our nation's laws. Return our Australian citizens from Guantanamo Bay. If you respect the world's laws the world will respect you."
The Speaker ordered him from the chamber, but he did not move. Shortly afterwards Kerry Nettle also piped up, was likewise ordered out, and stayed put. Now they will be barred from the address today by Chinese President Hu, where they planned to protest about human rights violations."

It's acceptable for Greens senators to defy the instructions of the Senate President and Sergeant-At-Arms, but not to accept the ruling of the Senate President on other issues of procedure. McGuaran raised his index finger and gesticulated non-verbally at the Greens as he re-took his seat in the Senate chamber. Brown consequently went into apoplectic fits and paroxsyms of rage at the effrontery of the man. Is that all it takes to upset Bob Down, a raised finger?

"McGuaran gets off scot-free. The government-nominated President first rules that McGuaran was not in contempt of the Senate, next that his behaviour does not deserve reference to the Privileges Committee and, next Monday, government numbers will protect him from Lyn Allison's motion dissenting from his ruling. The Prime Minister says McGuaran's behaviour is 'unacceptable' and 'wrong', but his government makes sure there is no penalty.The episode underscores the new Senate reality: on the one hand the government will use its numbers to shelter misbehaviour within its own ranks and on the other hand it will avoid penalising such misbehaviour to ensure no member crosses the floor," Senator Brown said.


Kerry Nettle, October 2003
"It’s fantastic that our actions provoked such community debate – like President Bush said, we love free speech."

No they don't. They just love the Greens version of it.

Cross posted at Bastards Inc.

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