Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to join my colleagues across this entire chamber in offering my heartfelt condolences to the victims of the devastating antisemitic terror attack we saw in Bondi.

We've heard a little bit during this condolence motion about the concept of three deaths: the death of the body, the death when the soul leaves the body, and the third death, which is the last time someone says your name, thinks about you or writes your name. In that spirit, I too will read the names.

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. Tibor Weitzen.

Last month, we bore witness to one of the most traumatic events in our nation's history and one of the most painful days in the long and proud history of Australia's Jewish people. For the past month my thoughts, the thoughts of every member of the government and, I am sure, the thoughts of every Australian have been with those affected, in particular the loved ones of those who've died and those who have been injured and are still struggling with that. We've also been struck by the bravery of those who responded, including our police, our paramedics, our civilians and our surf lifesavers. That image of Jacko running barefoot is an iconic Australian image.

This atrocity was an attack on our Jewish community, but it was also an attack on the Australian way of life. Australians are shocked. They are angry. And, may I say, as a non-Jewish person, it has been particularly confronting to appreciate the sense of fear and devastation I know so many of our fellow citizens have experienced in recent times. Antisemitism, the oldest hatred, is an evil that tears at the fabric of this country. It puts the peaceful, free and equal society that we cherish at risk. There can be no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in our nation. We are all gathered here in this extraordinary sitting of parliament because we do not want to see this happen again.

In the days following Bondi, I visited the Ballarat Synagogue both to listen and to offer my support and condolences. The synagogue was established in 1861. It is the oldest shul still operating in mainland Australia; the oldest in Australia is in Launceston. These are both regional communities. The Jewish community of Ballarat are one of the oldest threads in the fabric of our city. Their contributions were essential in building Ballarat into the thriving and welcoming community that it is today. Their names are on buildings across our community.

This is a story reflected across Australia. During the service, members spoke of their grief and of their anger that such things could happen here. They spoke about the need for compassion, the need to demonstrate tolerance and understanding, and the need for us all to come together. Outside, hundreds of flowers were laid at the door of the synagogue, in solidarity with the Jewish community. In a beautiful gesture, Ballarat Hebrew Congregation President, John Abraham, has since announced that these flowers will be used to create a memorial garden in honour of the victims of the Bondi attack, a place for all of us in our community to remember what has been lost and a reminder that we must continue to fight against antisemitism.

May the memory of those we have lost be a blessing to us all, and may we all somehow summon the strength to turn darkness into light, not just today but in every day and in everything that we do.

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