Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The invasion of Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe. The UN has warned that the Palestinian people are at grave risk of genocide. The Greens condemn the war crimes of Hamas, but nothing can justify the war crimes we are witnessing in Gaza. Ten thousand Palestinians, including 4,000 children, have been brutally killed just for being Palestinian. The international community, including Australia, must take action to help end this crisis. Instead of supplying military equipment to Israel, Australia should be calling for peace and de-escalation, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for ending the occupation of Palestine. Supporting the UN call for a ceasefire is the bare minimum that the Australian government should be doing, and yet they refuse to do so. History will be on the side of those who condemn the indiscriminate killing of civilians and condemn the occupation. We must not let our government get away with supporting these atrocities.

The situation is so dire and causing so much despair that it's no wonder that many people are feeling powerless and turning away, but I'm pleading with all of you who are watching and listening to this. Together, we are powerful. Please email and call the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, and call your local MP. Their staff will answer, and it's their job to listen to you. There's nothing to be afraid of. Our voices are powerful, and we can't let them ignore us. Don't underestimate the power of these actions. I have received thousands and thousands of your e-mails. They are impossible to ignore, and they demonstrate the power of collective action. By calling, you are holding your elected representatives to account, making sure that they know you care and you are watching. Together, we can influence positive change and ensure our concerns are heard and acted upon.

And don't stop there. Attend rallies and other organised actions. Consider joining those who are disrupting business as usual, because there can be no business as usual while this is happening. The only way that Labor will move on this is if they feel the political pressure, because what they want is to win elections and retain their power. If they think that's at risk, they will be swayed. You have the ability to influence political decisions. We need to continue to stand together and raise our voices in support of an immediate ceasefire, an end to the invasion of Gaza and a free Palestine.