I call on Greens Senators Janet Rice and Mehreen Faruqi to leave the Senate and arrange to be tested for COVID-19 following their attendance at weekend protest rallies.
Following the decision by four House of Representatives Labor MPs to leave Parliament in order to be tested for Covid-19, the two Senators must follow suit.
It is irresponsible and selfish for these Senators to remain in the Parliament after blatantly breaching social distancing regulations when they attended Black Lives Matter protest rallies.
No matter the importance of the cause and the inherent right to protest, Australians have been asked to make so many sacrifices during the Coronavirus pandemic including missing funerals, cancelling weddings and closing businesses.
In Victoria, we still have a state of emergency which has curtailed many of our fundamental rights and liberties.
Senator Rice decided to cancel her flight and drive to Canberra to mitigate the risk she poses to others; yet she continues to take her place in the Senate along with Senator Faruqi.
This situation is simply unacceptable.
These Senators are not above the law. There is not one rule for some and another rule for everyone else.
10 June 2020