Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Bullwinkel for the question. I know all members, and particularly members from the West, were shaken by the information that came out with the arrest last week.

At the end of last week, the Western Australia Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which involves the Australian Federal Police, the Western Australian Police Force and ASIO, charged a 20-year-old man with acting in preparation or planning for a terrorist act. The man has also been charged with firearms offences. He was arrested by WA police when they were executing a search warrant as part of an investigation into alleged antisemitic, Islamophobic and racially motivated online hate speech. When they got there, they discovered a manifesto-style document outlining plans for a nationalist and racist ideologically motivated act of violent extremism aimed at attacking mosques in Western Australia as well as Western Australia Police Headquarters and the state parliament.

For some time now, our security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been warning that we are entering a new security environment. There are many different ideologies that can give rise to extremism. Sometimes it's a range of ideologies. Sometimes it's a mix of ideologies. Sometimes it's the threat of the ideology. We often talk about it coming across the border. Much of this now is coming straight across the internet into Australia. Whenever the temperature is higher, whenever those who promote hate feel emboldened, this increases the likelihood that violence will be planned and attempted. I say to all Australians: if you see something or are concerned about a rise in hateful behaviour from someone, report it to the police or to the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.

The specific attacks, as well as the parliament and police, were aimed at mosques. We know the Australian Muslim community has been experiencing increased levels of Islamophobia. It is not fictitious. It is real. This man allegedly wanted to target mosques—places of prayer and worship for many Australians. Every elected official who claims to care about national security has a responsibility to turn the temperature down. Every act of bigotry flies in the face of who we are as Australians. And every Australian Muslim—because that's who these were directed at—just like every other Australian, has the right to be safe and to feel safe.

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