Allegra Spender (Wentworth, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) deplores the appalling and unacceptable rise in antisemitism across Australia, including violent attacks on synagogues, schools, homes and childcare centres;

(2) unequivocally condemns antisemitism in all its forms; and

(3) resolves that all parliamentarians will work together constructively to combat the scourge of antisemitism in Australia.

Last week, as we marked the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, I sat in the Great Synagogue with Holocaust survivors and listened to the testimony from 96-year-old survivor Jack Meister. It was incredibly moving. At almost the same time, it was announced that a caravan had been found with explosives and the addresses of Jewish community locations, including that Great Synagogue. People in this House have seen the appalling and unacceptable rise in antisemitism across Australia, including graffiti, arson and violent attacks on synagogues, schools, homes and childcare centres. But they may not appreciate what it's like for my Jewish community to live through these assaults every day, including private assaults like abuse on the streets and online.

The Jewish community is living in fear. Australia has for many years offered a safe haven. Now parents and grandparents are genuinely wondering if they can continue to build their lives here. It broke my heart last year when a mother told me that her preschool-age daughter was proudly taking part in a Hanukkah celebration and the only thing she could think of was: 'She's so happy. She's so proud to be Jewish. She has no idea how many people hate her.' But the message today is to say that those who hate on the basis of religion, those who perpetrate crimes on the basis of religion, do not represent the Australian community. Those who perpetrate those crimes are criminals, plain and simple. They must be treated as such. They must be charged, tried and sentenced in a way to demonstrate to all Australians that this behaviour has no place in our country. We in this House and across the different levels of government have the responsibility to keep the community safe. That must be the work of this parliament in the laws and the policing, education and justice systems. Some of those opportunities we have this week, including dealing with the hate crime legislation that is in front of this parliament and which I seek to strengthen.

But this is not just a matter of the laws; it is also a matter of culture. We must lead by example. The message from this parliament today must be unambiguous. We will not stand for hate, we will not stand for abuse, we will not abide intimidation and we will not tolerate the terrorising of any part of our community. We are all united against antisemitism. Words must be backed by action, but words matter—particularly those of this parliament.

In our country we will often disagree. We will disagree vehemently on conflicts overseas. We are a multicultural nation, and in any conflict we will always have people on different sides and many others with very strong views. I see that in my community, but I also see that my community is unified, that my community believes that hate and intimidation of others based on their religion, sexuality or ethnic background cannot be tolerated in this country. The hatred against the Jewish community in this country is unacceptable, as is hatred directed to any part of our community. We must maintain our empathy even towards those who disagree. This is one thing that my committee agrees with. That is the foundation of a truly pluralistic society. That is the Australia we aspire to be. I'm proud of this country: proud that it has been a sanctuary for so many; proud that it has offered opportunities to so many, including to my own migrant family; proud that a Jewish community member showed me the kind text chat between him and his Muslim friend at the height of the conflict; proud that, when a rabbi's home was vandalised in my community, his non-Jewish neighbours rushed to clean it up before he saw it. That is the Australia we must protect: an Australia defined by decency, respect and kindness.

The whole of this parliament should support this motion because we recognise that hate directed towards the Jewish community and those antisemitic attacks are attacks on the values of our whole country and that we must guard those values with everything we have.

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