Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute again on the consideration in detail of the Attorney-General's Department. I will be speaking about the Securing Faith-Based Places grants program. But, can I say again, I'm astonished to hear the political games being played by those opposite. Whether they have the self-awareness to acknowledge it or not, or whether there's just a whole lot of groupthink going on from those opposite, the general public think that they are losing their minds. The Liberal Party right now is going down the grubbiest and ugliest path of some of the most destructive politics, playing with somebody's life for their own political gain. I am once again urging my Liberal and National colleagues in this place to consider their actions and to consider whether or not this is an appropriate way of using the high office that they occupy. Is it beneath them to dredge up these nasty and grubby attacks or should they be focusing on issues that actually face the Australian people?

One of the really important programs brought forward throughout the recent budget process within the Attorney-General's Department is Securing Faith-Based Places. In my electorate of Macnamara, members of my community carry an increased burden because they are at risk of a range of attacks and security concerns that affect people and their ordinary business. Simply going to the mosque, going to the synagogue, going to church or going to temple as part of your expression of your own identity is a fundamental part of your right as an Australian. A situation where ordinary Australians are having to think about whether or not that is a safe thing to do is a situation where that becomes the responsibility of governments around the country. I was really pleased to see the continuation of the long record of—most of the time—bipartisan support for organisations to not only have the security infrastructure to be able to protect their people and congregants but also to carry the financial burden that is required to maintain and manage that security infrastructure as well.

I can say with absolute confidence that this federal government funding is so important to the day-to-day lives of so many people who want to go about their ordinary business, go to their place of worship and express themselves and their religious identity. I go around my own electorate and I am so proud to have a diverse and multicultural community. I also know that, for many people, that simple question of, 'Can I go and do my ordinary business in a safe way?' is a really difficult one. Frankly, it's one that I would hope wouldn't confront Australians, but it does. Therefore, it is extremely important that the government stand in and try to assist faith based schools, preschools, places of worship and community centres to protect them from crime and violent crime.

We know that the increase in far-right violence is keeping our security agencies extremely busy. We know that the far right is presenting an increased threat to many communities around Australia—not just faith based communities—as well, and it is incumbent on us to work together to ensure that Australians are available and free to participate, to express themselves, to hold on to that fundamental right of freedom of religion, freedom of association and freedom of participation in our great society.

I thank the Attorney-General for all of the work that has gone into this. I know it has been something that the Attorney has been working on for a few months. I ask him: why is it so important to be able to ensure that Australians can go participate freely, express themselves and express their religious identity in a way that is incumbent on this great country?

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