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Motion · HouseDebate cut short 90–41

Politics · Censure over Menzies remark

Censure the Defence Industry Minister for calling former PM Menzies a "Nazi appeaser" — back it or block it?

The Opposition tried to censure the Minister for Defence Industry and Pacific Island Affairs over remarks he made that day at the National Press Club. According to the mover, the minister had called former Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies a "Nazi appeaser."

To bring the censure on immediately, the Opposition first had to suspend the House's normal rules. Before that debate could get going, the Leader of the House moved that the Opposition's spokesman "be no longer heard" — a procedural move to shut the attempt down. The House voted 90 to 41 in favour of that, so the censure never proceeded.

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📄 House Hansard, 2 Jul 2026 — Minister for Defence Industry; Attempted Censure

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For · Coalition (Dan Tehan)Moved to censure the minister over comments at the National Press Club in which, he said, the minister called former Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies a "Nazi appeaser." He called it "an utter, utter disgrace."

Against · Government (Labor)The Leader of the House moved that the Opposition's spokesman "be no longer heard," using the government's numbers to end the attempt. The vote to shut it down passed 90 to 41, so the censure motion was not debated.