I ask the Leader if he could arrange for the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to come to the House to clarify his comments that debate can be robust, heated, personal and sometimes even hostile if one enters the public arena. He said that one cannot expect that the Queensberry rules will apply. Unfortunately, those comments were made last Friday when on the same day in a national newspaper, David Quinn revealed some of the e-mails he has received. One example reads: "If you're reading this, kill yourself. End your shitty existence on this planet and let humankind move on from your bigoted, homophobic and sexist bullshit".

Has the Senator a question for the Leader?

Yes. The e-mail continues: "Please don't take what I said lightly. End your life-----"

Senator Walsh, what has this to do with the Order of Business?

I will ask the Leader a question once I put this e-mail on the record of the House.

It does not need to be put on the record of the House.

The e-mail continues: "I would not think twice about kicking your f***ing face in ... I hope you die a horrible death".

Has the Senator a question for the Leader?

I ask for a debate about freedom of speech which is essential in a democracy. It is not only those comments in the e-mail but the other night in a programme, Susan Phillips said she was getting hostile and hateful e-mails. A gay man-----

The Senator should refrain from naming persons outside the House.

-----who opposes gay marriage, who believes that marriage is between a man and a woman, has received death threats.

Has the Senator a question for the Leader?

I have a question for the Leader. Can we have a debate on freedom of speech with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources? Can we deal with these dangerous, vicious elements in the gay ideological movement? I appeal to those more reasonable voices-----

On a point of order I have to object to that. There is no such thing as a gay ideological movement.

Senator Walsh, you have made your proposal.

There is no such thing.

Senator Walsh is making himself ridiculous.

I call for the more reasonable voices within the gay groups and particularly GLEN, which I have always found to be responsible, to condemn this type of activity. It is totally unacceptable and is clearly intended to intimidate or prevent people from engaging in open debate on a matter of social re-engineering.