Mehreen Faruqi (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Waters, I seek leave to move a motion commending student protest encampments, as circulated.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice standing in the name of Senator Waters, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent Senator Waters moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion relating to student protest encampments.

If you have a heart, you should be haunted by the images coming out of Rafah, where Israel is slaughtering Palestinians again in plain view of the world. You should be haunted by the slaughter of newborns, toddlers and children in Gaza. You should be haunted by the attacks on hospitals, schools, refugee camps and mass graves. But you are cold, callous and calculating politicians who are instead full of contempt for those protesting this genocide. You are full of contempt for students who are camping out for Gaza. The moral bankruptcy of Labor and other so-called leaders in the face of this massacre is a stain on our collective conscience.

The Gaza encampments at unis across the continent are a reminder, though, that all is not lost. It is a matter of urgency that they be supported. In a world where one Western government after another is complicit in Israel's genocide of Palestinians, in a world where we see the abject failure of the Labor government to take any action and in a world where the neoliberal university has been complicit in warfare, the students are fighting back. The Greens are in solidarity with students across the country peacefully protesting, taking action and speaking out for Palestine with such courage in the face of lies, abuse, harassment and intimidation.

While the Labor government remains complicit in this genocide, we have the Liberal Party, who are utterly devoid of humanity. The Jewish Council of Australia's executive officer, Dr Max Kaiser, has said he is deeply concerned by what he calls:

… the weaponisation of antisemitism by the Liberal Party to target students who are standing up against the genocide of the Palestinian people.

Why are you lot so threatened by a bunch of university students registering their moral opposition to Israel's genocide that has slaughtered more than 35,000 Palestinians? Why aren't you as concerned about the genocide itself? Power to the students who have the integrity, the bravery and the humanity that are completely lacking in this government.

Students in the US have faced extreme repression, abuse and outright violence from the police. Management of their own universities have disgracefully turned against them. This must not be mirrored here, but sadly and shamefully it has already started, with Deakin University wanting the encampments dismantled. In the past few weeks, we have seen very concerning attacks and violence targeted at peaceful Palestine encampments on campuses, despite protesters making clear that their encampments are proudly antiracist and do not tolerate antisemitism or any form of racism.

An open letter signed by over 500 academics and staff across Australian unis demands that political leaders and media representatives cease their rhetorical attacks on and vilification of the student encampments. The world has changed forever. All eyes are on Palestine. We have protests and encampments across the world demanding an end to Israel's occupation, apartheid and genocide. Cries of a free Palestine are echoing from Hiroshima to Barcelona, from New York to Sydney, from rallies and encampments to sold-out concerts with Macklemore, who says:

What is threatening about divesting and wanting peace?

The problem isn't the protests, it's what they're protesting.

These students understand that business as usual in the place where they live, work and study allows the genocide to continue unabated, and they are calling on their institutions to cut ties with weapons corporations and all those who are complicit in this genocide. They understand that our freedoms are interlinked and so are our oppressions. These students are firmly on the right side of history. Complicit governments and VCs cannot extinguish these protests and should not attempt to do so. Instead of trying to crush legitimate peaceful protests, it is time for VCs to listen to the divestment demands of the Gaza encampments.

As for Labor, your hollow calls and empty words of concern to Israel are achieving nothing. Take action. Back the student Gaza encampments. Expel the Israeli ambassador. Sanction Netanyahu and his war cabinet. End military trade with Israel.