Varun Ghosh (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today we engage in a debate on a motion that, in the view of the government, should not be supported. It's not a considered motion. It's not a motion that advances the cause of peace or builds unity in our community here in Australia.

The conflict in the Middle East is a long and complex one, and it is characterised by divergent perspectives and disputed history. It's existed for a very long time. But the current war in Gaza was begun on 7 October 2023 by a heinous terrorist attack by Hamas on the people of Israel. That attack resulted in the worst loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust. The anguish of that day has been extended by the taking of more than 250 hostages, and we have heard and learned of the horror of their treatment as time has gone on. The war that has followed has been a humanitarian disaster. The unbearable scenes of conflict, the loss of innocent life and the devastating effect on the Palestinian people have shocked the people of Australia and people around the world.

On behalf of the people of Australia, the government has consistently sought to advance the goal of a just and lasting peace that ensures the ongoing security of the State of Israel and its people and establishes a stable and peaceful Palestinian state which realises the sovereignty of the Palestinian people. The government has consistently called for an immediate and unconditional return of the hostages taken by Hamas and for a ceasefire—a cessation of hostilities—to permit the negotiation of a peace agreement that will produce that two-state solution and a stable and peaceful region. The government has sought to play an engaged and responsible role in this debate and in promoting peace, recognising that we are not a major player in the Middle East but have a respected voice and a history of support for international institutions and multilateral action in international affairs. That is why we are supporters of the ceasefire and also seek the release of the hostages by Hamas as part of that agreement.

Inflammation and division within our community do nothing to advance the cause of peace. Ignorance of the importance of multilateralism in resolving international disputes, and particularly armed conflict, does nothing to advance the cause of peace, nor do other forms of extremism. In the end, in this parliament, we represent peoples and communities around Australia. Since 7 October 2023, in a variety of different ways, we've also seen behaviour in Australia that is unrecognisable to many Australians. We've seen a rise in antisemitism and antisemitic incidents; we have seen a rise in racist and Islamophobic incidents; we've seen a community more divided on this issue; and we've seen actions and behaviours that we would not traditionally have seen, nor would we want to see them replicated. It is important that, in ensuring our future as a community and ensuring we succeed as a country, we remain a place where people of a variety of races, backgrounds, religions and views feel comfortable and safe. We need to respect each other, and we need to push for that unity. It is in that spirit and vein that the government continues to seek to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East while also providing leadership in relation to ensuring that those conflicts are not replicated in Australia and that Australia remains a united community where people of all backgrounds can feel safe and respected.