Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today we stand united in this place in profound sorrow and solemn reflection, not for the passing of time but for the lives shattered by an act of unspeakable violence. At a place and time that should have been filled with sunshine, laughter and light, at the beginning of Hanukkah, terror struck. A joyful community celebration turned into a scene of unimaginable fear, grief and devastating loss when two men armed with guns in their hands and hate in their hearts opened fire. That day, 15 innocent people were murdered at Bondi Beach. They were mothers and fathers, children, friends and community leaders. They were deeply loved and deeply connected. Their absence leaves an ache that words alone cannot soothe.

To the families, friends, children, spouses, siblings, neighbours and colleagues of those killed: this parliament recognises the depth of your grief. Your loss is our collective loss, and your pain is felt across this nation. We also acknowledge the grief and trauma of the men, women, and children who survived and who continue to recover, carrying physical injuries and emotional trauma. The road to healing is long, but please know you won't walk it alone.

Let us be clear about what occurred. This was not random violence. This was a terrorist attack on Australian soil, an act of cowardice that deliberately targeted Australia's Jewish community as they gathered to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. That's traditionally a time of light, reflection and hope. The Australian parliament condemns in the strongest possible terms the evil of antisemitism and all forms of hatred that fuel violence. We stand in unwavering solidarity with Australia's Jewish communities and reiterate that there is no place in our nation for hatred, antisemitism and violence—not now, not ever.

On 14 December, when we saw the absolute worst of humanity, we also witnessed acts of extraordinary kindness and courage from police and other first responders who ran towards danger, from medical professionals who worked tirelessly, and from ordinary Australians who swung into action to help save lives.

In my own electorate of Newcastle I have been deeply heartened by our community's response. Faced with the evil of antisemitism, Novocastrians emphatically rejected hate, choosing unity over division, and light over darkness instead. They donated blood, laid flowers, signed condolence books and checked in on their friends and colleagues. And they turned out en masse in response to Rabbi Yossi Rodal's call to join him, just three days after the attack, at a vigil at the Newcastle synagogue, packing out the synagogue, with hundreds more spilling out onto the streets and into the courtyard and gardens. This was Newcastle at its best, standing together in sorrow and solidarity. It was especially pleasing to see people of all faiths come together that evening, with leaders from all the Christian churches, the Mayfield mosque and Afghan communities all standing side by side with the Jewish community.

I want to pay tribute to Rabbi Yossi because it's his strong, compassionate leadership that made everybody welcome and brought our community together at a time when we needed to be unified more than ever. Despite grieving the loss of his dear friend Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Rabbi Yossi's calm resolve and pastoral care for his community have been a profound source of strength at an incredibly difficult time. I also wish to acknowledge the powerful words offered by Rebbetzin Malki Rodal at the vigil—words that provided great comfort and strength, reminding us all of the enduring power of love, light and hope.

I was also deeply moved by the response of the members of the Newcastle Hebrew Congregation. In the hours following the terrorist attack, I spoke with president Samuel Reich, vice-president Max Lenzer and long-serving member of the congregation David Gubbay. Despite their profound shock and grief, they spoke with a shared determination that this act of terror would not define them—would not define us, our community. The Jewish community will continue to turn towards the light, even in the darkest of times.

Newcastle has a compassionate heart. The size of the crowd at the Newcastle synagogue on the evening of 17 December proved that to be true. Novocastrians are empathetic people. We look after one another, we reject hate and division and we refuse to say silent when any member of our community is attacked. These acts of solidarity remind us that, even in our darkest moments, love will always triumph.

This motion declares that this parliament rejects hate and terror. It honours the memory of those murdered and commits to standing with survivors and their families. This is an important first step, but words of sorrow are not enough. We must resolve to act to confront antisemitism, and indeed all forms of hatred, with courage and clarity, and to ensure that our laws, education and national conversations reflect our values. I hope tomorrow this parliament can act with dignity, compassion and unity to pass legislation to do just that.

May the memories of those lost be a blessing, may the injured fully recover and may peace remain our lasting goal. In keeping with the Jewish tradition that asks us to remember the dead and honour them by saying their names, tonight we remember Matilda, Edith Brutman, Dan Elkayam, Boris and Sofia Gurman, Alexander Kleytman, Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, Peter Meagher, Reuven Morrison, Marika Pogany, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Adam Smyth, Boris Tetleroyd, Tania Tretiak and Tibor Weitzen.

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