Senate debates

Thursday, 4 February 2021

Motions

International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

11:58 am

Photo of Stirling GriffStirling Griff (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

Before moving general business notice of motion No. 968, I ask that the names of Senators Keneally, Wong, Katy Gallagher, Urquhart, O'Neill, Carr, Marielle Smith, Polley, Kitching, Dodson, Bilyk, Ayres, Sterle, Ciccone and Brown be added to the motion. I, and also on behalf of Senators Keneally, Wong, Katy Gallagher, Urquhart, O'Neill, Carr, Marielle Smith, Polley, Kitching, Dodson, Bilyk, Ayres, Sterle, Ciccone and Brown, move:

That the Senate—

(a) acknowledges 27 January 2021 marked the 76th anniversary since the liberation of Auschwitz and is recognised as the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust;

(b) pays its respects to the 11 million people killed during the Holocaust, including six million people of Jewish faith;

(c) further acknowledges the Holocaust serves as a reminder not to be indifferent to hate and hate speech, and to show compassion for others;

(d) notes that:

(i) the Director-General of ASIO warned Australians that the extreme right wing threat is growing in Australia with small cells regularly meeting to salute Nazi flags, inspect weapons, train in combat and share their hateful ideology, and

(ii) Australia is the only country inside the Five Eyes Intelligence Network not to proscribe any right-wing extremist group as a terrorist organisation;

(e) further notes that attacks on democracy, such as the insurrection on the United States Capitol Building which featured the presence of anti-Semitic symbols and sentiment, represents an existential threat to our collective safety;

(f) recognises the right to free speech comes with responsibilities; it does not give anyone entitlement to sow division and hate; and

(g) condemns the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Australia and around the globe.

Comments

No comments