David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Sikh community are reeling because their leaders are being targeted for political assassination. Just a few short days ago the US Department of Justice announced that an Indian government official had directed the attempted assassination of a Sikh community leader on US soil. This followed the murder of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, again directed by an Indian government official. These actions show how far to the extreme the BJP government in India has lurched. If the BJP administration is actively plotting to kill political opponents in the US and Canada, just imagine what's happening in India itself.

All Australian politicians should now show solidarity with our Sikh community, who are the most visible targets of this extreme political violence. I know there's apprehension in the Sikh community about their safety here, and I can see why they are concerned. We have raised this directly with security agencies, including ASIO. ASIO has informed me that there is no current identifiable threat to the Sikh community here. The Sikh community is very visible in public places, especially when they are involved in politics. They deserve a clear and direct assurance from the Australian government that proactive measures are being taken to ensure their safety. There must be a public statement from our government to the government of India that these actions represent a gross breach of international law that offends Australian values. Our government needs to make it clear that if something like this occurs in Australia it will be taken as a hostile act that would fundamentally undermine our bilateral relationship. It is essential that this occurs now to prevent this violence from occurring in Australia. It's one thing to ride in a golden chariot and venerate a foreign political leader, but the hard politics is when you need to put principles and the collective good of Australians ahead of a media sugar hit or the promise of a lucrative trade deal. That's when politicians earn their keep.