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

I want to thank Senator Lambie for bringing this motion in the terms that she did, seeking to unify the chamber and have us join together around a motion that deplores the appalling and unacceptable rise in antisemitism across Australia, including violent attacks on synagogues, schools, homes and childcare centres; that unequivocally condemns antisemitism in all its forms; and resolves that all parliamentarians work constructively together to combat the scourge of antisemitism in Australia. I want to echo and acknowledge the contribution from my colleague Senator Faruqi and those others around this chamber who have asked us to come together to support this, because I thought that was the purpose of this motion.

I want to particularly note the third part of the motion, and we heard Senator Lambie speak to it just then, resolving that all parliamentarians will work constructively together to combat the scourge of antisemitism in Australia. For me, my hometown of Sydney has been particularly attacked—some of those attacks have happened within the stone's throw from where my kids went to school—and each time it has happened we've condemned it in the most unequivocal terms because it has absolutely no place in the country. We should unite and condemn it and oppose it, and we should support law enforcement and others trying to find the culprits to bring them to justice. Of course we should do that.

I thought we might have had it there for a minute—being unified around this motion—and then I saw what the coalition brought. They must have had a strategy meeting to try to work out what they could do to ensure they could get a division on this. Taking this uniting statement, they had a strategy meeting and thought, 'What can we put to this motion that will ensure we get division on it?' And they decided they would do mandatory minimum jail terms, because they must have known the Greens will always oppose mandatory minimum jail terms regardless of the subject matter. Regardless of the horrific nature of the subject matter, we will always oppose mandatory minimum jail terms because they are wrong in principle, because they are deeply wrong in principle. They take away judicial discretion. They take away unjust outcomes. They attack the independence of the judiciary. We were always going to say that, and we were always going to oppose the amendment put forward by the coalition.

They knew it, and that's why they brought it. The coalition also know the Labor Party has a platform commitment opposing mandatory minimum sentences for much the same reason, so they had their strategy meeting and thought, 'How can we take this moment where we could come together and throw some division into the debate?' They chose mandatory minimums and it does them absolutely no credit. I hope they rethink their position and withdraw that amendment in order to try and bring us together on this motion, as Senator Lambie asked. I want indicate that, whether Senator Thorpe's amendment passes or fails, it won't change our position on coming together in support of the motion.