Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I speak in support of the motion. I just want, from the outset, to remind everybody in the chamber of this. I know that we all shared that desperate feeling in our guts and our hearts and our minds when we saw those horrific attacks occurring across the country. One parent from Mount Sinai College in Maroubra said, after the attack had occurred:

Today we have to walk our children into school knowing that people hate us and hate the children enough to create that kind of fear.

She said:

It's a horrible environment in what should be a beautiful day of my kids starting school and enjoying seeing their friends again.

She went on to say:

I think the fact that these things can still happen over and over and over again is scary given how much effort is going into this but I always think obviously there's more that can be done.

Eleven arrests have occurred so far. The police and also the Australian Federal Police have carried out work. Of course, as many of us are aware, and as has been briefly mentioned, ASIO is investigating matters associated with these horrific attacks. At this time, with these examples of horrific attacks, and now, with Senator Lambie's resolution, the proposition is put forward that now is the time for us to say unequivocally that we stand together as one voice in this Senate. Yes, there's a time to have politics and there's a time to question arrangements and question the latitude and the appropriateness of actions and responses.

The 11 arrests demonstrate the response that has occurred. They also demonstrate to the community out there that is fearful and worried that the Australian public are on your side. The Australian police are on your side. The police services across the states in this country are on your side. They're against the minority voice that has a minority view about making sure there's fear and loathing in this community.

It's paramount on everybody in this chamber to make sure they don't feed that paranoia and fear but realise the real challenges that we have in our community. Sandy Hollis, Head of Education for Sydney Jewish Museum, said of antisemitism:

From misogyny, homophobia, Islamophobia, I think it's all part and parcel of the same problem.

As the head of the Islamic Council of New South Wales said so passionately in December:

We totally sympathise and show solidarity with the Jewish community. Anti-Semitism is not acceptable, we will not see it rise or become normalised the way Islamophobia has become normalised. We think we're better off when we support one another.

That's what this resolution is about. Yes, there are opportunities for people to play election politics, but there's an opportunity for Australia to come together and for this chamber to come together. And, to the credit of those on my right, this is the opportunity they've taken up.

I say to those across the chamber: don't lose this opportunity. Don't feed the fear and desperation that is being peddled by these people that are intimidating the Australian community and Jewish people in the community. Call it out for what it is. It is horrific. And call out something else even more powerful—that we all stand together against the nature, aspiration and desire of those who want to do evil in this country. We are opposed as a community and in the Senate against their aspirations because we know they are wrong and fundamentally evil.