Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise with a heavy heart to reflect on the Bondi Beach massacre. On 14 December 2025 at Bondi, our country changed forever. As a nation, we are still reeling from the shock and pain of the act that has shaken the very core of our collective spirit. We continue to mourn, reflect, honour and reaffirm the values that bind us together as Australians.

On 14 December 2025, Bondi—a place synonymous with sunshine, community and joy—became the site of a calculated and senseless act of violence. In a matter of moments, lives were lost, families shattered and our sense of security challenged. The attack was a deliberate targeting of innocent people, including members of our Jewish community, that sought to divide and instil fear. The grief we felt that night and feel today is deep and far-reaching. Every Australian has been touched by this tragedy, whether through the loss of a loved one, the suffering of a neighbour or the heartbreak we share as a nation. Families now face empty chairs at their dining tables. The Jewish community in particular fears a burden of sorrow that is both personal and profound. We acknowledge the unique pain experienced by those targeted and we grieve with them and for them.

Yet, in our darkest hour, we have also witnessed extraordinary acts of courage and kindness—the outpouring of support from across our vast land—in a testament to the empathy and solidarity that defines us as a people. And it has gone beyond our borders. We pause to remember those whose lives were cut short and those who now fight for recovery, both physically and emotionally. To the family and friends in mourning, we offer our deepest condolences. Your loss is our loss, and your pain is shared by millions.

Amidst the chaos, the countless heroes emerged, from the emergency service personnel to our police to the ambos to those who cared for the wounded—our doctors, our nurses, the paramedics. They have all worked tirelessly, and we rely on them every day. But every Australian that was a bystander on that terrible day acted to support their fellow Australians. They became rescuers, they became friends, and they were comforters. We say to you: thank you for your courage and your bravery, because that bravery and compassion embodies the very best of Australia. We've demonstrated that time and time again. But, in the aftermath of this tragedy, let us remember who we are as a nation built on fairness, compassion and tolerance. We do not allow hate to define who we are. We do not allow violence to tear our communities apart. Instead we stand together, united in our grief and resolute in our response.

That's why it is so important that the people in this chamber and the other place and everyone who's elected as an official and community leader have to be so mindful of the words that they use. For those who continue to use this as a political weapon: shame on you. You will be ultimately judged by what you do and what you say going forward. Any attack on an Australian citizen and an Australian resident is an attack on all of us. We are community leaders, and have to show that leadership, now and going forward. We have done some good things as a government in our response. The New South Wales government has. We've changed legislation around gun ownership. We've changed laws. We are working every single day to ensure that we remain a safe and united country. The message today is that we stand together.