Kara Cook (Bonner, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yesterday's so-called March for Australia rallies were not patriotic gatherings; they were parades of division, fear and prejudice. Let's be clear: when elected representatives stand alongside extremists, they are complicit. Senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts and Bob Katter chose to legitimise hate yesterday. They marched not for Australia but against the very values that make Australia strong. They stood shoulder to shoulder with people who reject our multicultural success story, who would seek to turn back the clock on decades of progress and who thrive on hate and suspicion. That is dangerous, it is reckless and it is utterly un-Australian.

Australia is at its best when it is inclusive, diverse and welcoming. Those who preach division tear at the social fabric of our nation for their own political gain. Labor has sent a clear message: division has no place here, and those who fan the flames of intolerance betray the very people they are elected to serve. While others divide, Labor will unite. We will always stand for respect, equality and fairness. We'll bring Australians together no matter where they come from, what they believe or who they love, because that is how we build a stronger, prouder and more united nation. I am proud of the multicultural community I serve in Bonner, and I'm proud to be part of a political party who has the back of all Australians, because we are stronger together.

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