Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

In the days following the horrific terrorist attack in Bondi, I've spoken with many Australians who feel shaken, unsettled and searching for reassurance that the country we love remains a place of safety, freedom and mutual respect. But nowhere has that fear been felt more acutely than within Australia's Jewish community. Today, we pause to mourn the 15 innocent lives lost, for the 40 injured Australians, to thank the heroes of the day and to stand united in our horror at the unveiled face of terror that was revealed at Bondi.

As a nation, we have been silent in our lack of action after the protests in front of the Sydney Opera House in October 2023, when university professors and students were made to feel so dangerously unsafe across Australia and when Australians marched, some waving terrorist flags, throughout our cities. We must own that and we must ensure that, now, we take targeted action. Words are cheap. We must be judged by our actions not just over the last 2½ years but that we choose to take in this parliament now. For Jewish Australians, the Bondi attack seemed an inevitable outcome after months of street marches, threatening slogans, celebrations of the October 7 attack in Israel and threats to their safety. Even thousands of kilometres from Bondi, the shock waves were immediate.

In North Queensland, the Jewish community only numbers about 100 people. They were preparing to celebrate Hanukkah with a public beachside gathering, which was meant to be a joyful expression of faith and light. Indeed, like many Jewish communities across Australia, they made the difficult decision to move the celebration into a private home. It was an honour to attend a later Hanukkah gathering in Townsville. It was beautiful. It was warm. It was deeply moving. But it was also sobering. People spoke quietly. The joy of the festival was there, but it was tempered with a deep and ancient sorrow.

Hanukkah is about light triumphing over darkness. It commemorates resilience, survival and the refusal to let hatred extinguish faith. Rabbi Ari Rubin, the only rabbi in North Queensland, said something that has stayed with me. He said, 'We don't want to let the joy be taken away from us.' That determination has echoed across Jewish communities nationwide. Despite safety concerns and despite fear, people showed up. In fact, more people attended this year's Hanukkah gatherings than usual, and, while hatred sought to intimidate, Jewish Australians did not retreat; they stood together.

Rabbi Rubin's journey to Townsville that Tuesday evening captured this spirit perfectly. On his way south from Cairns, his family was caught in a nine-hour traffic jam on the Bruce Highway after a serious crash. While stranded, an Israeli backpacker in the same traffic jam noticed the Rubin family's Jewish clothing. Two families in the middle of nowhere, in the shadow of tragedy, met. They prayed together. They shared traditional food at the back of a car. In the midst of fear and isolation, light found a way through, and it didn't stop there. Rabbi Rubin and his family handed out toys meant for Jewish children in Townsville to other stranded families along the highway, spreading joy to people they had never met. That is the response of the Jewish community that we are talking about, not withdrawal but generosity.

There is a clear responsibility on all of us in this place. It is the duty of politicians to do everything possible to ensure that antisemitism, radicalisation and extremist ideologies—including radical Islam—are identified early, confronted honestly and prevented from taking hold in Australia. That means strong laws. It means proper enforcement. It means serious oversight of extremist networks and the courage to speak plainly about threats. Protecting social cohesion requires moral purpose and honest conversations. No Australian should have to celebrate their faith behind closed doors. No parent should hesitate before taking their child to a religious celebration. No school should have to hire armed guards to protect those within from hatred. No community should feel that visibility comes with risk. No doctor should have to remove their surname from their name tag to be safe at their work.

The Bondi attack forced not only Jewish Australians but all Australians to confront these fears, so here we must confront our responsibilities, because an attack such as this is a test of our national character and it is a test of political leadership. It is our duty as leaders and as Australians to ensure that the values of tolerance, freedom and mutual respect are not simply cheap words.

The Jewish community has responded to Bondi with grace and hope that reflect the very best of Australia, but there are forces at work on our shores seeking to make Jewish people feel unwelcome, unwanted and unloved. Radical Islamist hate preachers continue to spread their poison and numerous institutions continue to marginalise Jewish beliefs and culture. This is not the Australia that has been a beacon for thousands of people from around the world to join us on the shores and it is not the country I want to leave to my children.

How we respond should reflect the very best of Australia and it should be a signal that Jewish people have safe haven here. The measure of our nation will be whether Jewish Australians can live here openly, worship freely and celebrate publicly. They should not have to be brave to do it; they should be able to do it because our leaders are strong enough to guarantee their safety.

The candles of Hanukkah remind us that even a small flame can push back great darkness but that flame must be protected. Today, we must stand with the Australian Jewish community and say clearly: 'Your light is welcome here.' I stand today to share the condolences of Australians to the entire Jewish community.