Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to begin by thanking the member for Berowra for moving this motion, and I thank all members on both sides who have spoken today in marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which was on 27 January this year. While World War II ended more than 75 years ago, the deep trauma of the Holocaust continues to ripple through the generations that have followed. It is essential that we never forget what occurred during the Holocaust. We must pause to remember the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. What occurred during this regime reflects the very worst of human nature. It reminds us how easy it is to sow seeds of division and discrimination, and what these seeds can grow into. We must reaffirm our promise to never forget the six million Jews and 11 million others, including people with intellectual disabilities, political prisoners, Serbs, Poles and Soviet citizens, who were killed during the Holocaust. International Holocaust Remembrance Day compels us to keep the memory of those who were persecuted under the Nazi regime, but it also moves us to reflect on the darkness still around us today. It is not enough to just remember the victims. We as a government must take action to ensure the protection of human rights and the security of citizens, no matter their race, religion, disability or sexual orientation. We must continue to combat extremist ideologies which threaten harm to others. We must ensure that the rhetoric and beliefs that fuel genocide are stamped out.

Altogether, more than 31,000 Holocaust survivors rebuilt their devastated lives in Australia. My children's grandfather, Dr Frank Martin, is a Holocaust survivor who came to this country as a young child. It was in this country that Frank Martin made significant strides for his family and his community, becoming a father, a grandfather, a world-renowned paediatric ophthalmologist and outstanding citizen. It is not surprising that Australia welcomed one of the largest numbers of Holocaust victims. In fact, Australia has the largest per-capita Holocaust survivor population outside of Israel. It was here that survivors carved out a place of safety and healing, contributing much to our nation's understanding of the Holocaust but also contributing to a powerful social movement of unity and cohesion. It is the examples of their lives as migrants in our communities that remind us of the strength we have when we focus on what unites us, not what divides us.

The Morrison government is committed to supporting Holocaust museums in each state and territory in Australia, with the most recent museum announced in the ACT on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Our government has pledged $750,000 towards the establishment of this new Holocaust museum. It is important that our nation's capital houses a place that promotes tolerance and understanding while combatting racism and anti-Semitism. As there are fewer survivors to give testimony about their experiences, it is all the more important that these records and stories are recorded and shared. We must ensure that the voices of victims and survivors remain alive so that these stories can start conversations and inspire change for the future. Our Holocaust museums play an integral part in preserving these stories. I can speak highly of the Sydney Jewish Museum in my own state, which continues to educate future generations and give a voice to victims and survivors. The museum carries a mission to challenge visitors' perceptions of morality, social justice, democracy and human rights. These are the values that we, as a government, strive to protect and uphold as well. In remembering those who suffered during the Holocaust and by supporting these institutions of remembrance, we reaffirm the need to protect morality, social justice, democracy and human rights going forward so that these atrocities are never repeated again.

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