Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This August, Muslims around Australia mark the holy month of Ramadan. Like Lent for Catholics, the 30-day period of fasting and prayer is a time of personal reflection and an opportunity for those of faith to focus particularly on the needs of others. In the Moreton electorate, nearly 5,000 people identify as Muslim. They come from places such as Bosnia, Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Iraq and Pakistan, to name but a few. The Ramadan fast takes great commitment from Muslims. I used to marvel at the Bulldogs rugby league player, Hasim Al Masri, as he would go off to football training and play during Ramadan, having observed the dawn till dusk fast. All Muslims still go about their work, care for their children and often participate in Taraweeh special night prayers at their mosque.

The Moreton area has six mosques, including at Holland Park, which, at 102 years of age, is the oldest mosque in Queensland. We also have a very progressive Islamic school—admittedly, it is just over the road in the electorate of Rankin, but I claim it as mine—and the Griffith Islamic Research Unit at Griffith University. It has a network of scholars who research Islam in Australia and seek to bridge the gap between Islam and the West. I have spoken in this place before about how the Muslim community responded to the floods in Brisbane. In the days after the January floods 400 volunteers turned up at the Kuraby mosque to offer help and financial support to flood affected people. They raised more than $50,000 for the flood effort and were hands-on distributing meals to flooded households, to police and to emergency workers out on the streets. I saw many muddy burqas in the clean-up process. Together, my Muslim community cooked more than 2,000 meals. Twenty Muslim tradespeople came up from New South Wales to help out in Queensland—and that is when the State of Origin score was only 5-0! The Islamic Womens Association of Queensland is also doing good work in the Moreton electorate through aged care and other community services.

All of this contributes to our healthy multicultural community. But as we saw, sadly, in Norway, extreme views about multiculturalism do exist. I think we are all still shocked by the tragic death of 77 mostly young people in Norway at the hands of a madman with a vendetta against multiculturalism and Islam. This attack was so outrageous because it was not only an ideological assault on multiculturalism but a bloodthirsty crime against young people who belonged to our sister party, Norway Labour. Multiculturalism and Labor are intrinsically linked in my own personal world view, so this attack really rattled my core beliefs. That is why in the week following the attack I called my Christian, Buddhist and Muslim groups and school representatives together in my electorate office for a special service to honour the victims of the Norway shooting. It was also an opportunity for all of us present to recommit ourselves to tolerance and understanding. I will never forget the impact this service had on a young Norwegian social worker, Maryanne, who was on exchange at Sunnybank State High School. Until that morning she had felt helpless and isolated, so far from her grieving nation, but the ceremony helped.

Tragic events like this cause all of us to reflect and wonder how one person could get it so horribly wrong. How could one person's fears, insecurities and prejudices lead to such a horrible tragedy? I realise there are different issues at play, but the riots in Britain were another example of those who feel society has forgotten them responding in extreme and violent ways. And of course there was a fair smattering of opportunistic criminals lacking a moral compass. I read an article a few days ago in the London Telegraph which said that in many cases it was Britain's ethnic communities, including the Muslim community, who courageously held back the mob to protect people, property and communities.

I think politicians have a responsibility not to incite extremist views in our community. I am not for a minute suggesting that we impede our rights to free speech, public demonstrations, protests or rallies. They are a healthy part of our democracy, but we must be responsible and ensure that demonstrations of public opinion do not become overheated. In my experience people, including politicians, are not always moved by lots of noise. Minds are more likely to be moved by quiet, rational engagement.

Finally, as a side note, next month the Prime Minister and federal cabinet ministers will travel to Yeronga State High School in my electorate for the Labor government's community cabinet meeting. I am thrilled to be able to welcome Prime Minister Gillard to Moreton and I encourage all of my community to register and come along to meet with ministers and have their say.