Nicolette Boele (Bradfield, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the member for Curtin's motion, and I rise also to ask: what does it say about our democracy when we seem to have two sets of standards for protecting citizens from hate? We had a violent start to the modern Australian nation, and we have made some but very little progress on making good on that—little progress politically, institutionally, economically and culturally. Let's not forget report after report showing that we're not adequately closing the gap. We don't have an ATSIC, and we don't have a voice to parliament or a permanent way to have solid representation in this parliament of the hundreds of First Nations that make up Australia. We continue to stand by whilst the states and territories pass laws to allegedly address crime but which have the practical effect of discriminating, targeting young First Peoples offenders and institutionalising them in harsh, cruel cells and detention centres with little regard for their cultural, social and economic needs. We essentially add to their harm rather than help remove it.

Last week, we watched as people with hate in their hearts and harm in their hands hurled a bomb into a crowd of people peacefully demonstrating—as they have for years on 26 January, as is their right, as is everyone's right in this precious but increasingly precarious democracy. Let me be clear: just as in Bondi, Sydney, where the target was Jewish people, in Forrest Place, Perth, the target was our First Peoples. This is a hate crime on the basis of race, of othering. Sadly, it felt to me that the hate shown against First Peoples on this day wasn't as seriously considered as the hate shown to others, and, therefore, that a strong response by our institutions wasn't as swift and wasn't as warranted. Let's be clear: hate on anyone in this country is hate on all of us. My message is: how our institutions, the media, the intelligence agencies and people in this place respond matters. Responding appropriately when this hate crime happened in Perth was not about protecting the weak and vulnerable. This is about acknowledging that everyone is equal before the law and within our communities, and it's all of our responsibility to ensure that this is so. When we don't speak up for our children, for all of our brothers and sisters, we're letting down the entire family, our Australian family.

With every thought, word and action—or lack of action—we are creating a permissive environment where this hate can continue and even thrive. And hate can't be solved with more hate. We need to grow understanding and courage and we need to make tangible progress. That starts with calling out hate every time wherever it occurs. It means applying the levers at our disposal—all of them—to match the wrongdoing. It means making sure that our lawmakers and enforcers, our commentators and our leaders, start to see that hate actually harms people. No matter what the colour of your skin, the God you worship or who you love, we are all entitled to the freedoms and securities of the person who lives next door to us, across the road or across the country. When we pass laws that lead to the clean-up of institutional behaviours that harm rather than nurture those who need us to have their backs, we start to replace the hate with care. We replace blame with responsibility. We replace 'them' with 'us'—'all of us'.

I strongly urge the government to adequately resource its own anti-racism framework that it commissioned in 2024. It's good. It may help. I'm really sorry that this has happened in our community across the country. Thank you for the opportunity to talk about something that is so important. We can do better, we must do better and we get this done by working together. That's why I commend the member for Curtin's motion to the House.

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