Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As we all know, overnight there has been an attack on the Canadian parliament. A soldier has been killed and others have been wounded following the terrorist murder of a Canadian soldier the day before.

Apart from New Zealand, no country on earth is more akin to Australia than Canada. We are both multicultural federations with British institutions. They speak our language and they share our heritage and our danger. More than 100 Canadians are believed to be fighting with the ISIL death cult and other terrorist groups in the Middle East and more have been infected with Godless fanaticism.

Today, more than ever, Australians and Canadians are family. We feel Canada's shock, pain and anger. I have been in their parliament. I have been at their War Memorial—as have so many of us. I regard Stephen Harper, their Prime Minister, as a friend and almost a brother. So an attack on their parliament is an affront to this parliament too. So today we stand shoulder to shoulder with our Canadian comrades in defiance and resolution. We stand for freedom and for the right of all people in all places to choose their way of life and their way of worship. We always have and we always will.

Finally, I note the presence in our parliament today of Canada's High Commissioner. I hope that he finds some comfort on this day in the solidarity of our parliament with his.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence—I thank the Prime Minister for updating the House, and on behalf of the opposition I too welcome the Canadian High Commissioner to our parliament. I would ask him to pass on our thoughts in particular today to the family of Corporal Nathan Cirillo, the Army Reservist killed whilst standing watch at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and to the Parliamentary Security Officer who is recovering in hospital. The eyes of the world are upon them and they are in Australian hearts today. The reservist was from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, a regiment affiliated with the Royal New South Wales Regiment. Like all reservists, he was a patriot and proud to serve his country.

The footage that has rolled across our television screens today captures something of the fear and confusion that gripped all of the innocent people in the Canadian parliament and those paying their respects at the Canadian War Memorial. It must have been especially confronting today for all the diligent and dedicated staff of our building and our War Memorial and their families. They serve this parliament with honour and they care for our War Memorial—which John Curtin called 'Our nation's great treasure house'—with dignity and respect.

In a broader sense, all Australians will feel affected by today. Australia and Canada share so much—a rich indigenous tradition, a Commonwealth history, military service together, multicultural societies, a love of peace, a vast and beautiful environment and an optimistic, reverent people of talent and vision. Because of all we share, it is only natural that the two buildings attacked in Canada carry an instant feeling of the familiar, and that amplifies our surprise.

But today should not be cause for fear. Australians should continue to draw comfort and confidence from the professionalism and skill of all those who work to keep us safe. In our free nation, our parliament, our War Memorial and our public buildings are open to the public—they belong to the people. Today will not change that. Nothing will change that. As Prime Minister Harper said today, 'Let there be no misunderstanding. We will not be intimidated.' Australia, as the Prime Minister said, stands with Canada today. We will never surrender to hatred, violence or extremism.

I conclude with a point I have made before. When it comes to fighting terrorism, we are in this together. It is important that we have a bipartisan approach—we have and we do. Tom Mulcair, the leader of Canada's New Democrats, said an hour or two ago:

These acts were driven by hatred, but also designed to drive us to hate.

There is more than enough hate in the world today. We need to be careful not to create any more by our words or our actions. We need to be as tough and unrelenting as necessary, but we also have to remember to preserve the lifestyle and freedom we love so much. That is what we are bipartisan about.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Your Excellency, Mr Michael Small, High Commissioner, can I say to you on behalf of this chamber and indeed the parliament—and I acknowledge the presence of the senators in the chamber with us—that we echo as a parliament the sentiments just expressed by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition and we ask that you convey to your parliament that we as parliamentarians stand shoulder to shoulder with your parliamentarians in determining that we will always stand up for the rights of our people and that we will always protect the freedom of which our leaders have spoken. We appreciate your being in the chamber today.

As a mark of respect, I invite honourable members to rise in their places.

Honourable members having stood in their places—

I thank the House.