Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate condemns the act of defacing war memorials by pro-Palestinian protestors, which is deeply insulting for current and former members of the Australian Defence Force and undermines the significance of these memorials as symbols of national pride and remembrance.

Since the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, war memorials across the nation have been graffitied and defaced by pro-Palestinian protesters. On Sunday, they hit the war memorials in Canberra for the third time, defacing memorials on Anzac Parade. Just two weeks ago, the walls of the Australian War Memorial were defaced with slogans, and the Vietnam veterans war memorial was graffitied in March.

Do these people understand that these memorials are there to honour the service of veterans and to honour the veterans who we have lost who were fighting for their country? They were fighting for our freedoms—the freedoms they won for all of us, the freedoms that meant that Australians can protest peacefully. To say it's a slap in the face to all veterans isn't strong enough; it is an absolute kick in the guts. It's a rejection of their sacrifices, and it hurts every Australian veteran and their families.

Do these people really think that this helps their cause? Do they really think that these disgusting acts of vandalism will bring about a ceasefire? Do they really think it will ease the suffering of the Palestinian people? I don't think these people have any idea what it's like to have to go to war and have to fight, to see your mates killed in front of you or to come home with injuries that mean you will never be the same again. As a veteran said to me this morning, 'How dare these people, who probably haven't served, are defacing these memorials because of their misguided ideologies?' Another said, 'It feels like they are spitting on the graves of our fallen veterans.'

War memorials and cenotaphs for our fallen soldiers are in most towns and cities across this nation. They are visual reminders of the horrors of war and the appalling, unimaginable conditions any soldier faces on the front line. Every Anzac Day, hundreds of thousands of Australians go to these memorials to honour those who have served and to make sure that we never forget the sacrifices that they have made for this great nation. Without the selflessness and commitment of all who have served, the freedoms that we all enjoy, the democracy and the rule of law might never have been possible.

By the way, if they think this is helping their cause, if they think this will bring more Australians out to protests about the war in Gaza, they are terribly, sadly mistaken. I think most Australians are appalled at what we have seen in Canberra this morning. Most Australians honour the sacrifices of our armed forces. Many Australians have veterans in their families—fathers, mothers, sons and daughters—who have put their lives on the line for this country and for our freedoms. I am sure they join me in condemning anyone who defaces or graffities our war memorials. There are laws that protect our war memorials, and I encourage the police to find these people and prosecute them to the full extent of the law.

War memorials have been defaced before, which is awful, and I will never understand it. Since the Gaza war we have seen this happen across the country, and, once again, I think the Greens should be reflecting on their behaviour in this chamber and on how their divisive behaviour in this chamber is fuelling division in the pure fabric of Australian society. Please think about what you are doing and what it is doing to the nation, because you are ripping it apart because of your actions in this chamber. When the Greens keep calling for protests, rallies and blockading of electoral offices and when they shamelessly allow themselves to be photographed next to antisemitic signs, they are whipping up the worst elements of hatred in our society and encouraging them to throw red paint on political offices, to write antisemitic slogans on MPs' offices and to do the things like defacing war memorials of fallen soldiers. The Greens are whipping up an atmosphere of hate and division—and all for votes! And they know it. What's even worse, they don't seem to care. Their actions don't help anyone and they certainly won't hasten the end of the war in Gaza and the end of suffering of the Palestinian people.

I would ask that every senator supports this motion today that the Senate condemns the act of defacing war memorials by pro-Palestinian protesters, which is deeply insulting to current and former members of the Australian Defence Force and undermines the significance of these memorials as symbols of national pride and of remembrance.