Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

In our engagements, the foreign minister presses for progress towards peace in her engagements with counterparts in the Middle East and with partners in Europe, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, in our region and in multilateral forums. As demonstrated by our vote in the United Nations General Assembly, we are using Australia's voice to advocate for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and a pathway out of this conflict. Unfortunately, this motion does not engage with these difficult, sensitive, important questions in the same constructive terms. In fact, this motion is drafted to be absolutist and to be divisive, and it is another example of the Greens political party seeking to divide—taking absolutist positions on a complex issue in an effort to win votes. They are putting their own interests ahead of social cohesion.

I'll make the point here which I made earlier and others on this side of the chamber have made. We gain very little by reproducing the conflict here—by talking past one another, by shouting at one another and by insisting on respective absolutes. There are too many politicians in Australia who are manipulating legitimate, heartfelt community concern for their own ends. The Greens political party is willing to purposely amplify disinformation and exploit distress in a blatant and cynical play for votes. For once I would like them to look at the national interest and whether their actions serve community cohesion or threaten it. At the same time, we see Mr Dutton reflexively dismissing concern for Palestinians as 'Hamas sympathising'. He's asked about the humanitarian catastrophe in Rafah, and he can't even bring himself to mention civilians in the answer.

Australians know that our country needs mature leadership for serious times. Australia's diplomacy and decisions are guided by the principles of peace and seek to advance a lasting peace, which is what we have always said that we will do. There is a need to acknowledge the real trauma on all sides and to acknowledge each other's humanity and to come together, as peacemakers throughout history have done. That is the approach that we take, and it's the approach that we urge community and political leaders in Australia to embrace.

So we don't support the suspension and we don't support the motion, and I move:

That the question be now put.