Senator Ralph Babet Defies Parliamentary Orders to Attend Behaviour Workshops
Right-wing crossbench Senator Ralph Babet is openly defying parliamentary directives to participate in mandatory behaviour workshops. The orders stem from findings that he used racist, homophobic, sexist, or other demeaning language in social media posts, which breached established parliamentarian standards.
Parliamentary Standards Panel Findings
An official standards panel concluded in September 2025 that Senator Babet's comments on Elon Musk's platform X failed to meet the expected conduct for parliamentarians and showed a lack of respect for differing viewpoints. The panel specifically noted that his posts were offensive, disrespectful, and harmful to individuals within the Commonwealth parliamentary workplace.
The Independent Parliamentary Standard Commission detailed these findings in a public statement, highlighting the severity of the breaches linked to posts made in November 2024.
Mandated Training and Agreements
As a result of the panel's decision, Senator Babet was required to:
- Complete one-on-one training with the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service by December 20, focusing on Safe and Respectful Workplaces and the Behaviour Code.
- Enter into a formal behaviour agreement with the Standard Commission, committing to refrain from using language that demeans others based on race, gender, sexuality, or other characteristics.
However, Senator Babet has not complied with these requirements, missing the deadline and failing to engage with the mandated processes.
Senator Babet's Response and Free Speech Defense
When questioned by The West Australian about the orders and his non-compliance, Senator Babet declined to comment directly but emphasized his advocacy for freedom of speech. He referenced a motion he introduced in the Senate calling for the repeal of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Act 2026.
He argued that this legislation infringes on Australians' fundamental rights to freedom of expression and association, stating, "As long as someone doesn't specifically call for, let's say, burning a building down or actual physical, legitimate violence, you should be allowed to speak freely in a democratic country."
Senator Babet added that he believes most people value free speech, framing his defiance as a stand for democratic principles.
Background and Political Affiliation
Senator Babet was elected in 2022 as the sole federal representative for Clive Palmer's United Australia Party (UAP), which has since been deregistered. Despite this, the Victorian senator continues to identify with the party's name, maintaining his crossbench position in parliament.
This incident underscores ongoing tensions between parliamentary conduct standards and free speech debates, with Senator Babet's case becoming a focal point for discussions on accountability and expression in Australian politics.
