Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I offer Labor's condolences to the family and friends of Curtis Cheng, a decent, gentle family man and a respected and well-liked colleague. On his way home from work, he was gunned down from behind in a murderous act of senseless hatred. Two Fridays ago, as Australia prepared for a weekend devoted to sport and celebrations, Curtis Cheng's family and his colleagues were jolted into mourning. Just as in the past 48 hours, we have been shocked and saddened by the terrible scenes in Ankara: the bodies of so many lying where they fell, covered in flags stained by blood—the chilling images. They prove that all forms of terrorism share the same two objectives: killing innocent people and spreading fear.

In particular, I am sure these incidents today strike a chord with Australians who recall with sadness that on this day, 12 October 2002, 88 of our own were among over 200 people killed by a bomb blast in Bali. A century after our citizens first clashed in a war that did so much to shape our modern identity, Australia and Turkey share a special relationship. Earlier today, I spoke with the Turkish ambassador-designate to convey our sympathies and to say that we stand in solidarity with our friends, condemning this act of murder that targeted supporters of peace.

This is a testing time for the world and for Australia. At least 100 are dead in the worst attacked on civilians in the Republic of Turkey's history and, in Western Sydney, a man was killed by a person who we would all think of as a child: a 15-year-old boy. As a father, I cannot imagine the grief, guilt and horror of your child, the one you love, choosing to end their own life by murdering an innocent man who he did not even know. Truly, it is beyond any parent's comprehension. He is the second teenager in two years to die outside an Australian police station seeking to kill.

Australians, though, can and should have full confidence in our security agencies. Their bravery, skill and professionalism are the equal of any in the world. Attacks on our people are thankfully rare because of their vigilance. I place on record our commendation of the quick thinking action and courage of the special constables of the New South Wales Police Force. But keeping our nation safe is a job for all of us together. We all want these threats to stop. We all want to work for prevention rather than investigation. This means cooperating with community leaders, religious leaders, grassroots organisations, parents and mentors to build cohesion. We must give young people less reason to feel unwanted. We should not ostracise those at risk or push them to the margins.

I welcome and support the Prime Minister's call for mutual respect. There can never be enough of that. There can never be enough respect shown to the laws and values of our nation by an extremist fringe, there can never be enough respect shown to the right of all Australians to live in safety by those determined to do as harm and there can never be enough respect shown for multicultural Australia by a prejudiced view. Australia will not defeat the challenge of extremism by allowing majorities to vilify minorities.

We will not overcome those who seek to divide us or put fear in our hearts if we face them as a nation fearful and divided. We are a nation made great by migration. We do not just tolerate diversity; we celebrated it. Whatever god we worship and whatever flag we were born under, we share a common loyalty to each other. Our faith and our heritage should always be a platform we build upon and not a cave to retreat into. This is a test that Australia faces. If we are divided, we cannot succeed. If we stand together, we cannot fail.

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