Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to speak to this condolence motion, and I acknowledge and echo the comments of my colleague Senator Shoebridge. A significant part of Pope Francis's legacy will be how he held the people of Palestine so close to his heart. He called again and again for a ceasefire in Gaza. He highlighted the suffering, the dignity and the humanity of Palestinians. His message has been clear: peace and justice are values that transcend lines of faith and religion. His message speaks to something more universal. It speaks to the fundamentals of human decency, compassion and moral responsibility.

Today, I joined hundreds of protesters and peace advocates gathered on the lawns of parliament to call for an end to the genocide in Gaza. Their message was simple, powerful and urgent. I stand with them, and I echo their calls. The Greens are calling on the Australian government to immediately impose targeted sanctions on the Netanyahu government, end our two-way arms trade with Israel and airdrop food that's desperately needed and medical aid to those people in Gaza who are starving right now.

Let me be clear. The people of Gaza are suffering from an avoidable famine. Thousands of children are on the brink of starvation. Health workers and humanitarian organisations have sounded the alarm. The hunger crisis in Gaza is spiralling. Israel has allowed only a limited amount of aid into the enclave, and it's being distributed under a deeply flawed system backed by the US and Israeli governments that has left Palestinians shot and killed as they try to collect food. We are hearing from doctors and aid workers that the rates of malnutrition in Gaza are close to 100 per cent. That's not just a statistic; it's the face of every child, every family and every person deprived of food and dignity.

For nearly two years, the Greens have urged the government to support an immediate ceasefire, but, in that time, we haven't seen the action that is so desperately needed. Statements are a welcome step in the right direction, but words do not stop bombs and do not feed starving children. Words do not end a genocide. It's time for Australia to turn these statements of concern into action. Now that Australia has formally acknowledged the horror of Israel's ongoing assault, we must also take responsibility for not being complicit in it. If we are to properly honour Pope Francis's legacy, if we are to live up to international law, basic human decency and a shared global call for a free Palestine, then we must act not just with words but with real actions and real consequences. We must end the two-way arms trade. We must cancel every contract with weapons manufacturers who profit from genocide. We must impose real, impactful and severe sanctions on the Netanyahu government, and we must play a role in delivering aid to the thousands of people starving in Gaza.