Charlotte Walker (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today feeling the full weight of the sadness and responsibility that brings us all here today, to honour the lives lost, to comfort those who grieve, and to speak clearly about who we are and who we refuse to become. A few weeks ago, at Bondi Beach, the postcard for joy, community, and the Australian way of life, there was an act of terror that shattered that scene. This attack, deliberately targeted at members of the Jewish community on the first night of Hanukkah, was an act of hate that cuts deeply across our nation. My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. No words spoken in this chamber can undo their pain. But it matters that we speak, it matters that we remember and it matters that we stand publicly with those whose lives have been forever changed.

The fact that this violence occurred on the first night of Hanukkah is particularly devastating. Hanukkah is known as the 'festival of light', a time that commemorates resilience in the face of persecution, the triumph of hope over fear and the enduring power of faith, even in the darkest of times. At its heart, Hanukkah tells a story of survival, resistance and renewal—a refusal to allow violence or oppression to extinguish light. The word 'Hanukkah' comes from the Hebrew word meaning 'to dedicate'.

To dedicate is not simply to remember the past but to recommit ourselves in the present, to restore what has been damaged and to claim again what truly matters. In the wake of this attack, I believe that is exactly what we must do. We must rededicate ourselves as individuals, as a parliament and as a nation by reclaiming our power away from terrorist ideologies that thrive on fear and division. These ideologies seek to strip people of their humanity, to turn difference into danger and to convince us that coexistence is impossible. I refuse to accept that future and I know this chamber does too.

What gives me hope, even in moments like this, is the response we have seen from communities across Australia: people of all faiths standing together, vigils being attended by strangers who simply wanted to show solidarity and messages of support being written out of care, not obligation. These moments remind us that hatred may be loud, but it is not dominant, and we will not let it define us. Terrorism aims to isolate and to make people afraid to gather, worship or celebrate. It wants communities to feel alone. Our response must be the opposite: connection, visibility and unity.

To the Jewish community I want to say, clearly and personally, you are not alone. You belong here. Your traditions, your culture and your faith are a valued and inseparable part of our shared story. You should never have to feel fear while lighting Hanukkah candles, gathering with loved ones or walking freely in public spaces.

And to those who seek to intimidate through violence and hate: you will not succeed. You will not dictate how we live, who we stand with or what values we uphold.

As leaders, our duty does not end with condemnation; it extends to action, to challenging antisemitism wherever it appears, to protecting vulnerable communities and to ensuring that freedom of religion, equality and safety are not abstract principles but lived realities. Each night of Hanukkah, another candle is lit. The light grows, not because the darkness disappears but because people choose to add to it. I think we can find that for how we move forward.

May we honour the victims of this attack by choosing to add light through compassion, courage and collective resolve. May we rededicate ourselves to unity over division, equality over exclusion, freedom over fear and acceptance over hate. May their memories be a blessing, and may our response reflect the very best of who we are and who we aspire to be.