Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

Today we join as a parliament united in grief. The recent terror attack at Bondi has taken 15 Australians—15 lives, young and old, each precious and each irreplaceable. And we extend our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones and to the Jewish community, who carry a weight of sorrow that no words in this chamber can fully ease.

What happened on 14 December was an antisemitic attack, and we reaffirm today that an attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on all Australians. In the face of this tragedy, we honour the bravery of the first responders, the bystanders and the members of the public who stepped forward in moments of unimaginable fear—ordinary people who ran towards extraordinary danger. Their courage and selflessness remind us that, even in the darkest moments, the Australian spirit is defined by care for others.

As a parliament we affirm that violence will not fracture the free, open and multicultural society we have worked so hard to build in this country. Our national response must be grounded in our shared values as Australians: respect for one another, dignity for all faiths, and the belief that diversity is a source of strength. Those values are not abstract. They are lived everyday by everyday people in communities across the country, including in my own electorate of Parramatta, one of the most diverse electorates in this country.

In Parramatta, in the days following the attack, our local community came together. Members of the subcontinental community organised a vigil in Harris Park, lighting candles and placing them on the pavement, standing publicly and peacefully with the Jewish community. It was a simple act, but it sent a powerful message: hatred has no place in our suburbs, and our response to violence is solidarity. I also visited the Parramatta synagogue during Hanukkah, a time traditionally marked by light and reflection but this time shrouded in darkness and sadness. I want place on record my thanks to Rabbi Roni Cohavi, who leads that congregation with calm, dignity and a deep commitment to community wellbeing, even in moments of profound distress. These moments of solidarity matter—a vigil in Harris Park, a conversation in a synagogue during Hanukkah, neighbours checking in on one another across lines of faith and culture. They remind us that social cohesion is not something declared by governments alone; it is something that Australians must actively choose, especially when it is tested.

The Australian government has acted, in the wake of the Bondi attack, to support public safety and community recovery. Assistance services have been deployed. The recommendations of the antisemitism envoy's report are being adopted. Law enforcement and security agencies are working closely with states to strengthen protections and provide clear information to the public. But laws and security measures, while necessary, are not enough on their own. We must also protect the cohesion of our multicultural society. Terrorism thrives when communities are isolated, when members of the community are set against each other, and terrorism fails when people stand together. While we cannot undo what has been taken, we can choose how we respond. We honour those lost by strengthening the bonds between us, by standing with communities who feel afraid and by reaffirming that no act of hatred will ever define who we are.

On behalf of my local community in Parramatta, I express our profound sorrow and our unwavering solidarity with the Jewish community. May the families of the victims find comfort in the knowledge that the nation grieves with them. May we honour those we have lost by continuing the work of building a safer, fairer and more united Australia.

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