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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, 130 hostages still remain in tunnels after the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel last year in which 1,200 people were massacred. Violent antisemitism is on the rise here in Australia and indeed around the world. Why did the Prime Minister make a captain's call to Palestine's bid for United nations membership, breaching faith with our Jewish community and decades of bipartisanship and putting us at odds with allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Of course, this House, with the support of the Labor Party—the government members—as well as the members of the coalition passed a resolution expressing our unequivocal outrage at the events and horror at the terrorist act on October 7. We continue to call for Hamas to release hostages. We continue to express our concern at the loss of life—every life—that is innocent, whether that be an innocent Israeli life or an innocent Palestinian life. Contrary to the Leader of the Opposition's depiction, the Australian government has had a long-term position of support for a two-state solution, and, in this, I accept responsibility for government decisions as Prime Minister. We had a proper process to make that decision through all of our appropriate channels.

The resolution that was carried by the United Nations called for a two-state solution based upon the 1967 boundaries. That is something that is supported by the Australian Labor Party and has historically been supported by those opposite as well. The people who do not support a two-state solution include Hamas and has included, at times, some members of the current Israeli government, who make clear their opposition to that as well.

We, in supporting that resolution, when we saw the wording, believe that it's consistent with providing a pathway to peace that is so necessary as we go forward. The people who are vehemently opposed to that resolution include Hamas and include people who have a view that there should be just a single state 'from the river to the sea', as the chant goes. That is not my position, that is not the government's position and it also wasn't the position of Japan, Korea, the New Zealand conservative government led by Christopher Luxon—

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

The United States, Joe Biden, where was he?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

ASEAN—of all of those countries who all overwhelmingly voted for that motion. (Time expired)