Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration) Share this | Hansard source

After Michael and Valentina migrated to Australia from Ukraine, they wanted to choose the most Australian name they could for their firstborn child. The name they chose was Matilda. Matilda and her sister, Summer, were students at La Perouse Public School, where over half of the student population are Indigenous kids from the La Perouse Aboriginal community. That community welcomed and embraced Matilda, Summer and their family. They gave Matilda the name Wuri Wuri, which in the Dharawal language means sunshine. And what a ray of sunshine she was. Matilda was the youngest victims of the senseless antisemitic terrorist attack on the Jewish community at Bondi Beach on 14 December. I offer sincerest condolences and the love of our community to Michael, Valentina and Summer for the loss of your beautiful Matilda Bee.

The last photo of Matilda is of a happy, smiling 10-year-old dancing amidst the bubbles, face painted, celebrating the start of school holidays and the first day of Hanukkah with her family on a picture-perfect day on Australia's most iconic beach. It represents the innocence and the tragedy of those who lost their lives that day. That photo of Matilda was taken by Peter Meagher, a distinguished, retired police detective and legend in the Randwick Rugby Club who was working capturing photos of the Chabad of Bondi Chanukah by the Sea event before his life was tragically cut short. Marzo was a man of integrity and service who volunteered with the Galloping Greens as a team manager, official and referee for decades. The guard of honour at his funeral from the NSW Police and the rugby community stretched the length of Sydney's College Street, a measure of our community's respect and affection for Peter. His wife, Virginia, and his brothers Greg, David, Andrew and Paul carry not only their grief but the love of the entire Randwick community.

We honour the life of Alex Kleytman from Matraville, devoted husband of Larisa and father to two children and 11 grandchildren. Alex survived the Holocaust and the freezing winters in Siberian during World War II before migrating to Australia. It's unimaginable that he died on Bondi Beach, enjoying the afternoon sunshine. He died a hero, shielding his wife from the gunfire. The family's courage in the face of unimaginable grief has moved our entire community.

We honour Tania Tretiak, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and member of the Randwick community. Her husband, Pavel, her children Dennis and Julia and her grandchildren mourn the loss of someone whose strength and kindness shaped generations.

We also remember the many others who lost their lives that evening—Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, Tibor Weitzen, Marika Pogany, who volunteered with Meals on Wheels for over 20 years and whose family I know very well, Dan Elkayam, Edith Brutman, Adam Smyth, Boris Tetleroyd and Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a teacher and mentor to many. We also remember and pay tribute to Boris and Sofia Gurman and to Reuven Morrison, who bravely attempted to disarm the gunmen and whose courage saved lives. They are now Australian heroes.

In the darkest moments on that terrible evening, we also witnessed some extraordinary acts of courage. Our first responders, including police, paramedics and emergency medical teams, acted with skill and composure that saved lives, and our surf lifesavers and lifeguards once again proved why they are among the most trusted and respected Australians. Lifeguards Michael Jenkinson and Daniel McLaughlin ran towards the gunfire, treating the wounded and ducking for cover as they moved from patient to patient. Jackson Doolan ran barefoot from Tamarama carrying a defibrillator and a first aid kit. Rory Davey rescued swimmers caught in the chaos. Many surf lifesavers from Bondi and North Bondi clubs ran into the danger, treating the wounded and shielding them from harm, including Andy Reid, Anna Booth, Brett Pattinson, Mason Kemeny, Steve Larnach, Anna Willis and Pete Colquhoun, who are here with us today. Surf lifesavers are highly trained and skilled in rescue and resuscitation, but they're not trained to treat gunshot wounds as they were doing that day. Their selfless actions saved lives, and we pay tribute to them and we thank them.

That afternoon, North Bondi Surf Life Saving Chub was celebrating its members Christmas party. In the aftermath of the shooting, the club became a triage point, with club members carrying victims on rescue boards back to the club house for treatment. That evening, instead of sweeping up tinsel, they were hosing down the blood-soaked floor. A week later, I was proud to stand arm in arm on the shore at Bondi with those surf lifesavers and hundreds of others in red and yellow as a tribute to the victims and to symbolise our thanks to those who risked their lives to help. That guard of honour stretched the entire length of Bondi Beach. You are truly great Australians.

Hanukkah is a celebration of light over darkness. The oil meant to burn for one day on the re-establishment of the Second Temple gave light for eight days, a symbol of the resilience of the Jewish people. This motion is not only an expression of grief and remembrance; it's a reaffirmation of unity and hope, a declaration that hatred and terror will never define us, and a commitment to comfort and support the families of all the victims and survivors of this shocking antisemitic attack, that the wuri wuri of Matilda and all those lost will shine eternally, that Jewish Australians will continue to be proud of their faith, their heritage and their culture, and that they will never, even walk alone.

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