Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The chant 'From the river to the sea' demands the destruction of the Jewish state. The Prime Minister has said it's both violent and incompatible with peace, but Labor senator Fatima Payman has accused the Prime Minister of 'defending the oppressor's right to oppress' and repeated the chant. Will the Prime Minister show strong, not weak, leadership and remove Senator Payman from the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade?

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

I thank the member for his question and I thank him for his principled leadership on a range of issues when it comes to race issues, including the principled stance that he took which is why he now sits where he does rather than down the front, which showed courage.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

I'm not quite sure why that is somehow controversial.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Barker. The member for Berowra was heard in silence and given courtesy and respect. I ask a little bit is shown to the Prime Minister. He will be heard in silence.

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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I praised him due to his principled stance there and I praise him for the principled stance he has taken about the rise in antisemitism. It has been my privilege to stand with the member for Berowra in my own electorate at the Exodus Foundation and speak about the need to bring the country together, to reconcile with our past and to celebrate our multiculturalism here.

The chant 'From the river to the sea' has been used from time to time by some in the pro-Palestinian movement, by some who argue that Israel should be just one state as well, and that Gaza and the West Bank should be wiped out. It is inappropriate. I very strongly believe in a two-state solution. I strongly believe in the right of Israel to exist within secure borders. I strongly believe as well in the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. What we need to do, and why Australia voted in the United Nations as we did last Friday, is to join other nations, including New Zealand—and I pay tribute to Prime Minister Luxon—to join with Japan and Korea and ASEAN nations, to say that—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Prime Minister will pause. I'll hear from the member for Berowra on a point of order.

Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, this is a question about the Prime Minister's actions in relation to Senator Payman's statements yesterday. We haven't heard anything about that yet.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister is referring to topics of the question, but I will ask him, for the remainder of his answer—for the minute—to make sure he is directly relevant to the question.

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

I've said very clearly that that slogan that calls for a single state is not appropriate. I believe very strongly that—

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Members have got to cease interjecting for the remainder of this answer; otherwise, they won't be here.

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

I believe very strongly that the world has an opportunity. Too often there is a saying that 'a time of war is the best time to talk about peace'. We have an opportunity to take forward the resolution that is required which does require a two-state solution. We continue to express our unequivocal opposition to the terrorist actions of Hamas on 7 October. We continue to call for a release of hostages. We continue to call for a humanitarian ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to be given to the people of Gaza. We continue to call for a two-state solution where both Israelis and Palestinians— (Time expired)