The Morrison government has put more than its own clumsiness on display by voting for a motion in the Senate that it is “OK to be white”.

The big myth of this absurd vote was that the government made an “administrative error” and did not realise its mistake until it was too late.

What is really on display is the torment within the Liberals over what their party stands for.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison in question time on Tuesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

A united party, strong in its rejection of racism, would not walk into an obvious trap from a fringe party with a history of inflammatory stunts and a ludicrous motion.