Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I want to start by thanking the member for Macnamara for not just the question but also his actions.

I saw him recently at the opening of the Holocaust museum in Melbourne, and, like many members of the Jewish community, he has been astounded and in disbelief as to some of the scenes. The Prime Minister has detailed the latest episode of that. So I pay credit to him for the leadership he has offered the community.

It is an act of depravity, and it is an act that is rightly condemned. I hope that these organisers and those who are responsible and others who are like-minded hear a very definite voice from this parliament—from the Prime Minister, from myself and from all members—that we condemn those actions. The fact is that people were taken, people were slaughtered, people have been held captive, people have been tortured, raped and murdered and, somehow, people have seen fit to occupy a hotel lobby or to maintain a presence where they think they can intimidate the families of those victims. The Prime Minister is exactly right to say that it has no place in our country whatsoever. I hope that the police and other authorities can take whatever is available to them under the law to deal with it, because it is a completely and utterly depraved act. The concentration of people's thoughts now should be on getting those who remain in captivity, who are still held hostage, released and returned to their families so that some peace, civility and stability can be restored to the region. The reality is that these are acts of depraved terrorist organisations, listed and prescribed as such in this country. From day 1, October 7, the actions of those individuals and their supporters, including, unfortunately, in our country, as we've just evidenced, stand to be absolutely condemned by all Australians.

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