Cameron Caldwell (Fadden, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

My heart is absolutely broken for those who lost their lives on 14 December and for those left behind who bear the scars of that terrible event—the family, the friends and, more broadly, the Jewish community. Firstly, I'd like to thank those who assisted on that terrible day: the police, the paramedics, the lifesavers and the ordinary Australians who became heroes and entered folklore that day.

For a terrorist attack to occur in broad daylight at Bondi Beach, the most idyllic and quintessentially Australian location, is beyond tragic. This was an attack not just on Jewish Australians but on all Australians. We all know that feeling of gathering on the beach to celebrate a birthday, a wedding, Australia Day or, in this case, an important Jewish celebration.

The Hamas terror attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, which slaughtered thousands of innocent people, were an inflection point and a warning that should have been heeded. Instead, Jewish Australians have lived in fear—more fear than any other Australian and a level of fear that Australians should not tolerate. The fear that Jewish Australians have lived in has turned out to be very real. I suspect that many Australians didn't fully understand what antisemitism actually was before that terrible day in December last year. It's a word that broadly captures so much in so few letters, but it's the type of word with the type of meaning that most Australians who are getting on with their average lives—waking up, taking the kids to school and going to work—simply assume that, because it's so bad, surely the government must have it under control. But at 6.47 pm on Sunday 14 December, it became glaringly apparent that antisemitism in Australia was not under control. And I want to share today the Queensland and Gold Coast perspective on the tragic events.

The Gold Coast, where I'm from, is a long way from Bondi, but I know that the pain was felt keenly by our Jewish community. Jewish Australians have played a significant role in building our city, as they have as nation-builders. They've been building in commerce, in the arts and in the community. And so, as Queenslanders, we came together in City Hall in Brisbane on 21 December. I must pay credit to Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and Premier David Crisafulli, both of whom gave incredible speeches at what was a very moving commemorative event. Those gentlemen showed real leadership and real heart. The next night we came together on the Gold Coast for a unique commemoration at the HOTA Precinct. The thing that stood out to me was the singing that everyone participated in of the song I am Australian and the words 'I am, you are, we are Australian'.

In the Australia that I know you can watch footy on a Saturday, you can go to church on a Sunday and you get up for work on a Monday morning; and you can go to the beach any time you please. This, of course, is illustrative; it's not exhaustive because, as Australians, the whole point of our way of life is one of individual choice, whether it be your footy team or your religion. The tragedy of the Bondi event was that it left Jewish Australians asking, 'What future do we have in this country?' And it left all Australians asking, 'What country do we have for our future?' As parliamentarians and as leaders, we must now step up and deliver the promise of Australia and make sure that we have a secure future ahead.

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