Condolences to Victims of the Bondi Attack

Reject Hate and All the Isms and Ideologies That Seek to Divide Us

I rise today to speak for the community I represent in this place, to add our collective condolence to those from electorates across the country, to join others in this motion of condolence and to condemn the murderous, antisemitic terrorist attack on 14 December at Bondi Beach. In my diverse community, weekend celebrations and devotions are held in our local parks and community centres on an almost weekly basis. We gather, just as the Sydney Jewish community gathered at Bondi that night. Not so subtly, we often gather in the names of various religions that celebrate light over darkness. They gathered to celebrate that first night of Hanukkah, just as many communities across the country did—like those in my community gather to mark Diwali or Holi or to attend iftar dinners in public places or to celebrate Eid or to share Christmas cheer with friends and family. We gather for religious and cultural festivals. We gather for secular occasions, such as to celebrate the monsoon season, for sporting events, for cinema in the park, for Park Lounge, for midsummer, to celebrate our culture and our identity.

At my home on 14 December, like many Australians, I became aware of the events through reports on social media. Like all Australians, I was horrified. I was mortified. I was grieving, as it unfolded, for all those present, for those who were victims of the antisemitic hatred and political violence, for those called to act in response, and for those like myself who were hearing about it while sitting alone in their lounge rooms. My thoughts are with the Australian Jewish community for their loss, for the Sydney community, for the Bondi community and for Australia. I grieve with them, but I grieve too for all the Australians that have had their faith in our celebrated pluralist foundations shaken by those who saw our inclusivity and chose to try and destroy it.

On behalf of my pluralist community, my multifaith community, my multicultural community, my multilingual community, I, like the member for Parramatta, rise to join with others in this place from around the country to thank those who put their lives at risk—or worse, lost their lives—to save others. Out of respect for their efforts, I ask that, for their sacrifice and in the spirit of their actions, we determine collectively to reject hate and all the isms and ideologies that seek to divide us. I ask that we unite in this moment of mourning and grief and use it to create a stronger, more inclusive country and a more inclusive future. I ask that together we fulfil the promise of the great, inclusive, generous idea that is our modern Australia.