Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Gallagher. Media reporting yesterday revealed that Leila Khaled, a pro-Palestinian terrorist who hijacked two planes and who is an active member of a terrorist organisation, is planning to come to Australia to speak at a socialist conference in Perth later this year. Will the Albanese government commit to ruling out any prospect of this radical terrorist being granted a visa to Australia?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Chandler for the question. I strongly condemn—and the government strongly condemns—anyone who incites violence and hatred in our community. Someone like that is not welcome in our country. It is my understanding that no visa application has been made at this time. However, I'd like to be very clear that anyone with this history will not be allowed into Australia. We take the safety of the Australian community very seriously. That is the information that I have to date.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chandler, first supplementary?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is a sanctioned entity in Australia and been designated a terrorist organisation by multiple countries, including the United States, Canada and Japan. Will the government consider listing this violent group as a terrorist organisation in Australia?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Chandler for the supplementary question. We always take the advice of our security agencies on these matters. As you'd know, they go through a process in relation to this. I believe it also involves the joint standing committee on intelligence and security to some degree—or consultation. But that is the position the government takes. We take the objective of keeping Australians safe very seriously. We listen to our security agencies. We take their advice and, when we get that advice, we act on it. I would expect that that would be the way that you would have operated in government as well.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chandler, second supplementary?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In a letter to the government, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry raised concerns that Leila Khaled's appearance would aggravate current social divisions and thus cause damage to social cohesion. This comes after the Department of Home Affairs revealed at Senate estimates that, while the government has allocated funding to combat Islamophobia, there is no equivalent program to address antisemitism. Will the government commit to taking urgent action to address the crisis of antisemitism in Australia and support our Jewish communities at their time of greatest need?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Chandler for the question. The government condemns antisemitism and Islamophobia and we have been doing everything that we can, particularly with heightened tensions in the Middle East, to make sure that we are doing whatever we can to keep communities safe and to keep the community united. And that is, I think, something that we have taken very seriously. We understand there has been an increase in antisemitism in this country. We oppose it. We reject it. We do stand with the Jewish community across Australia. We also understand that, because of the tensions in the Middle East, Muslim Australians and Australians from Palestine have also been experiencing increased tension and Islamophobia. And, again, I would say— (Time expired)