Erasing history by banning aspects of it runs the risk of society repeating history. The quote, “history should make you uncomfortable” describes how history has something to teach us. An effective tool of learning is discomfort.
The amendment that I proposed here in the Senate would have excluded and protected genuine collectors from the prohibition provisions of this Bill.
Denying history cannot diminish the Holocaust horrors. There are many people in Australia interested in preserving items of significant historical interest. These genuine collectors of militaria and historical items are not extremists. They are parents, grandparents, even a great grandfather who called this office and explained how he started collecting items given to him by returning servicemen after World War 2. These are not people who wish to promote extremist or violent views.
Their intent is to preserve items of historic military significance, artefacts that are of great value in some cases, and these genuine collectors and academic researchers and historians should have been excluded from the prohibition provisions.
Transcript
This bill, as I read it, is designed to prohibit the public promotion of hate symbols, including those of the historic Nazi regime during the 1930s and 1940s. Yet history is real and should not be buried or denied. Those ignorant of history are condemned to repeat it. Former president of the United States Harry Truman, a very widely read American president, said, ‘The only thing new in the world is the history you haven’t read.’ In other words, it has all happened before. Denying history cannot diminish the Holocaust horrors.
History shows that ignorance or wiping of history only brings ignorance, which in turn begs the repeat of atrocities, and we don’t want that. There are many people in Australia interested in preserving history during the period of World War II and preserving items of significant historical interest. These genuine collectors of militaria and historical items are not extremists, nor do they wish to promote extremist or violent views. Their intent is to preserve items of historic and military significance. These genuine collectors, academic researchers and historians should be excluded from the prohibition provisions, and they are. Genuine collectors are often well read and actively research their areas of interest and should not be prevented from maintaining their interests nor run the risk of being punished for preserving the history during a time of historic turmoil.
The amendment that I have proposed would exclude and protect genuine collectors from the prohibition provisions of this bill. I commend it to the Senate. By leave—I, and also on behalf of Senator Hanson, move One Nation amendments (1), (2) and (3) on sheet 2307 together:
(1) Schedule 1, item 5, page 9 (line 12), after “academic,” insert “collecting militaria,”.
(2) Schedule 1, item 5, page 15 (line 29), after “academic,” insert “collecting militaria,”.
(3) Schedule 1, item 5, page 24 (line 19), after “academic,” insert “collecting militaria,”.
