Nazi debate: Liberal senator breaks down in the chamber

A Liberal senator burst into tears, claiming a Labor rival had said the “most outrageous thing” during a debate over Nazi symbolism.

Liberal Sarah Henderson was in tears and shouted across the hall to Labor minister Murray Watt, telling him, ‘I’m disgusted with you’.

It is unclear what Mr Watt, who retracted his comment, said to Ms Henderson.

Senators in the chamber, however, said the bizarre confrontation was linked to text messages she sent the Victorian Liberal leader seeking to expel a state MP for attending Melbourne’s anti-transgender rights rally where Nazis showed up.

The opposition is pushing for a ban on Nazi symbols after a protest in Melbourne drew neo-Nazis, who used the Sieg Heil salute.

The neo-Nazis hijacked a ‘Let Women Speak’ rally organized by UK anti-trans campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull outside Victoria’s State Parliament on Saturday.

Pro-trans counter-protesters had turned up to challenge Ms Keen-Minshull’s event, only to face the black-clad group of men who taunted them with Hitler salutes.

In the Senate, liberal frontbencher Michaelia Cash said pressure to ban the Nazi symbol should take precedence.

“Every Australian should find the actions of that small group of protesters who dared to use the Nazi salute as an offensive,” she said.

“Those who display Nazi symbols or use the Nazi salute either do not know the past or are deliberately promoting evil.”

Secretary of Labor Murray Watt forced Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson to tears, she said

It is unclear what Mr Watt, who retracted his comment, said to Ms Henderson

Finance Minister Katy Gallager said there is no place for Nazi ideology in Australia.

“But I think we also need to recognize that this is a complex area of ​​law, and any move to ban Nazi symbols deserves serious consideration,” she said.

The Australian people deserve better. We should stand together, we should raise a strong voice about the events we have seen in Victoria.

“This bill should be seriously considered, not a stunt.”

But Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young fired back, saying politicking the issue would drag the debate into the gutter.

“I don’t think anything we’ve shown to the Australian people … is anything to be proud of,” she said during the debate.

“The politics on this issue—which are serious, which are sensitive, which are fundamentally about the values ​​of a respectful, democratic nation—should not be dragged into the gutter.”

The attempt to debate the bill ultimately failed, with all parties agreeing it was an important issue to discuss, but Labour, the Greens and One Nation accused the opposition of doing it as a last-minute stunt .