Alison Byrnes (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to acknowledge the profound loss and the sadness of the Cunningham community following the horrific terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on Sunday 14 December at the Chanukah by the Sea event. On that horrific evening, 15 innocent lives were taken, and our country has been left shaken and reeling. I give my sincere and heartfelt condolences to all of those who lost a loved one and whose lives have been changed forever.

Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights, a festival with a message of optimism and hope. When reflecting on the events of that night, I focus on the acts that truly demonstrate the Australian spirit: the bravery of ordinary Australians—of our first responders, paid and volunteered, who put themselves in danger to help and protect others. We saw people running towards danger, stepping in front of a gunman because maybe they could stop him, calling out warnings and sheltering total strangers—people putting kindness and caring for others first. That is what being Australian truly means.

One week after the Bondi attack, on the national day of reflection, I attended the lighting of the menorah with the Jewish community of Wollongong, along with local leaders from all faiths and backgrounds—Nepalese, Indian, Vietnamese Buddhist monks and a First Nations pastor—as well as members of the Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra, the Salvation Army, the member for Whitlam, the member for Wollongong, the deputy lord mayor and local councillors, Wollongong local area commander Superintendent Karen Cook, local police and many other members of our community. We stood together as one with our Jewish community, as Rabbi Menachem Aron spread a message of love, light and kindness. It was a display of solidarity and of shared grief, demonstrating that we will not allow hate to define who we are or how we gather. I want to thank Dr Yoke Berry from the Wollongong Jewish community for her strength and her kindness in the face of this terrible event.

Days after the Bondi attack, I joined the member for Wollongong, the member for Macarthur, the member for Reid, Waverley mayor Will Nemesh and many mayors from across New South Wales, as well as thousands of others, to lay flowers at the Bondi pavilion. People from all faiths, all backgrounds and all walks of life gathered in their shared grief and their shared determination to ensure that this is never repeated. I was also joined by young members of the Jewish community Pnina Hagege, Zac Morris and Ellie Zilberman, who came to pay their respects, as well as Kath Cummins. I wanted to acknowledge their presence, their resolve and their kindness.

I also acknowledge the leadership of the Muslim community in engaging constructively and respectfully with government since the events at Bondi. The president of the Omar Mosque in Gwynneville has long put community unity above hate, noting that, when it came to these Bondi attacks, 'These were sick individuals who did this.' Syrian born Ahmed al-Ahmed is one of the heroes of Bondi. He put his life at risk to save other people in his community. His bravery was simply awe inspiring.

I unequivocally condemn the actions of the perpetrators at Bondi, and I condemn antisemitism, hatred and racism in all its forms. We cannot allow more hate to be the response to this act of hate. We cannot allow extremism to be responded to with further extremist behaviour. This attack has struck at the core of our beliefs. Acts of such immense and intense hatred are aimed at dividing us and driving a wedge between us—in this case, based on religion. But it has not. It has united our community, firstly, in shock and grief but now in a steely determination that similar incidents are not repeated against any group or at any gathering. Over the last month, we have seen both the best and the worst of humanity, but the best elements of us have consistently risen to guide us. I hope to see others continue to put kindness and unity above division. We must do all that we can so that this event is not repeated in Australia.

The theme of our national day of mourning on Thursday, as requested by Rabbi Ulman, will be 'Light Will Win—A Gathering of Unity and Remembrance'. We must use light to guide us from this dark period, and we must use light to help us stamp out hate in all its forms in all parts of our community. I again give my deepest condolences to the friends, families and communities of the victims of this senseless attack. May this tragedy help guide us to a better, more cohesive and more respectful Australia.

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