Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Sheina Gutnick, the daughter of Reuven Morrison, who was murdered in the Bondi terrorist attack, wrote publicly:

Australia did not fail quietly.

It failed loudly, repeatedly and with full knowledge.

Its government watched hatred grow and chose to do nothing.

They minimised it. They excused it. They dismissed Jewish warnings as noise.

Minister, those are not my words. They are the words of a victim's family member. Will the Prime Minister now say sorry and apologise to Jewish Australians for his government's failure to act decisively against antisemitism, despite repeated warnings as antisemitic incidents surged after 7 October 2023?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First, again, as the Prime Minister and others, including myself, have done: our personal condolences to Ms Gutnick and to all those who have lost a loved one in this horrific attack. It was an attack that was targeted, evil, antisemitic and ISIS inspired, and it was an attack on Jewish Australians—and all of us grieve for every person, every family and every community that has been made to suffer because of hate filled and senseless violence.

The Prime Minister has made very clear the sense of responsibility and the weight of responsibility that he feels for an atrocity that happened, as he said, while he is Prime Minister, and he has said publicly he is sorry for the grief and pain that the Jewish community and the entire nation have experienced, as have I.

Our responsibility now is to do all we can to ensure this does not happen again. That is the solemn responsibility that this government and this parliament have. That is what we are seeking to do—to listen to the Jewish community the entire nation—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, a point of order?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a point of order on relevance. The question was direct in its terms—will the Prime Minister actually, for the first time since 7 October 2023, apologise to Jewish Australians for your government's disgraceful failings?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, calling a point of order is not an opportunity to make a statement. The minister is being directly relevant to your question. Minister Wong, did you wish to continue?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I addressed your question directly, Senator Cash, and I did so because I think it is important. But I also believe, and I think Australians believe, that it is important for us not just to speak about this but to act to ensure this does not happen again. That is why this government prioritised the drafting of— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, first supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sabina Kleitman, daughter of Alex Kleytman, said:

Our government could not protect the 15 innocent souls who were taken from us and those that were injured … It's their duty to all Australians to provide safety and security to all.

And Jenny Roytur, whose uncle was murdered, said:

We were hunted like animals by extremists …

Can the Prime Minister say the one word the Jewish community have been wanting to hear: 'sorry' for failing to keep you safe?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): The Prime Minister has responded to that publicly, and the Prime Minister has also done what a leader of integrity does: he has engaged; he has listened; he has heard an experience, with respect—the pain, the grief and the anger; and he has determined to act to ensure that we do all we can to prevent any such attack occurring again and that we confront antisemitism in all its forms. Further, you would have heard me say in this place many times that antisemitism is an attack on Jewish Australians, but it is also an attack on Australia. It is an attack on who we are. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, second supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've listened carefully to both answers, and, despite your words, Senator Wong, you have, yet again, failed to say sorry to the Jewish community on behalf of the Prime Minister. So I ask again. It is a simple word. Will the Prime Minister say sorry—sorry for your government's actions, that it failed to address the antisemitic crisis in Australia despite repeated warnings from the Jewish community since 7 October 2023?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have done so twice. I have twice responded to that directly. This is a moment where we as a country have a choice about uniting in our response to antisemitism; uniting in our response to hatred; uniting the country against prejudice, hatred and antisemitism; and uniting the country around this legislation, which is intended to contribute to keeping people safer. I think it is a matter of some regret that a moment that could have been a moment of national unity has not been so, because some in this place—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Did you see what happened at the opera house?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll take the interjection. Yes, I did, and I responded. (Time expired)