Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Hansard source

Well, I'm sorry; the truth hurts. That's why Chris Minns, who's actually shown some leadership—the Premier of New South Wales—went out and very clearly stated it, when he was briefed. There's not a problem there, in an operational sense. But it's funny that there is over here, and we know why that is. How embarrassing, but how disgraceful, that this is the state of leadership in this country or—as the Jewish Australians know—no leadership in this country.

So I absolutely call on the decent members of the Labor caucus—and I know that's you, Senator Ciccone, Senator Farrell and Senator O'Neill, who are very strong supporters of Israel, who have always stood up for the Jewish community, who have done the right thing—to support this bill. We are seeing antisemitism not only allowed to fester but actively encouraged at universities. It is being actively demonstrated, encouraged and accepted by vice-chancellors at universities that this is an appropriate way for people to behave, that this is freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is not free of consequences. When you support terror organisations—if that is not the point that someone stands up and says no, when is it?

Labor must support this bill if you are to have any face left to the Jewish community. The fact that you all stood in here—I felt sick listening to some of the ridiculous syrup coming out of mouths in this chamber on Tuesday in the face of Senator Lambie's motion. The fact that Senator Faruqi got up on behalf of the Greens was not only ridiculous, given her own performance standing next to antisemitic posters depicting that Jews must be put in the bin—