Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We must be able to have difficult conversations about the Middle East and disagree respectfully. For the past eight months, my community has been doxxed, vilified, ostracised and harassed. Unfortunately, this has been encouraged by the Australian Greens. The state member for Newtown said the Jewish community's tentacles are infiltrating ethnic spaces. The state member for Brunswick posted a video online of the member for Fraser being physically assaulted on the way into the Labor conference. The Greens candidate for Wills called people to stay radical and get more radical. The member for Griffith has accused the Australian Labor Party of being responsible for the heartbreaking loss of innocent lives on the other side of the world.

My own staff have been harassed for eight months. People on the other end of the line are peddling misinformation and lies propagated by the Greens. And now it's escalating with their silent support. Staff members have been injured, offices have been vandalised and MPs are harassed while doing their jobs. Constituents have been unable to access the help of government services. This is not peaceful. You cannot pretend to be for peace when inciting violence here in Australia. The words we use in this place as leaders matter. The pain people feel about the Middle East should be acknowledged but not weaponised. We need to be able to disagree respectfully, and we all must act responsibly as leaders in this place.

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