The Albanese government has developed a package of support for Australian communities affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This includes a $25 million grant to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry to immediately improve safety at Jewish schools and preschools across Australia and $25 million to Australian Palestinian, Muslim and other communities to support safety, security, mental health, cohesion and education objectives.
Senator MARIELLE SMITH (South Australia) (14:09): My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. In Ballarat, we’ve seen an abhorrent and deeply disturbing Nazi rally over the weekend. Can the minister please inform the Senate why these actions that seek to intimidate parts of the Australian community won’t be tolerated?
Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:09): I thank the senator for her question. Australia is privileged to have a rich multicultural society, and values of tolerance and respect are at the core of who we are. Australians fought and died in the fight against fascist ideologies, including Nazism, that are built on antisemitism and on prejudice. Extremist views like Nazism must be met with uncompromising condemnation.
The Nazi rally at the weekend was appalling and unacceptable and has no place in Australia. Sadly, it comes at a time when we have seen an increase in antisemitism more broadly. Nazism and fascism cannot be normalised and they cannot be defended on grounds of freedom of speech because they inflict real and direct harm and they are in direct opposition to liberal democracy. They are ideologies that work by dehumanising—by singling out people as outsiders and second-class citizens who are not deserving of the protections and dignities afforded to full members of the community. This is what the Nazis did. Nazism and fascism dehumanised Jews, gays, people with disabilities, Slavs, Roma, people of colour as well as people of different political views, labelling whole groups of people as subhuman.
This reminds us again why hate speech is so dangerous. Hatred in speech led to hatred in deed, with six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, and millions more declared subhuman were also killed by the Nazis. History shows that genocides, mass atrocities, systemic forms of enslavement and ill-treatment have been fuelled by hate speech, which dehumanises and blames victims. Anyone who refuses to denounce Nazism or other extremist ideologies has not learned the lessons of history. All of us must always stand against those whose rhetoric undermines our diversity, our tolerance and our values.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Marielle Smith, a first supplementary?
Senator MARIELLE SMITH (South Australia) (14:11): Can the minister explain to the Senate how the Albanese government is working to bring people together and make the community feel safe?
Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:11): Thank you, Senator Smith. Everyone must be able to live their lives free from fear and intimidation. The Albanese government has developed a package of support for Australian communities affected by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This includes a $25 million grant to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry to immediately improve safety at Jewish schools and preschools across Australia and $25 million to Australian Palestinian, Muslim and other communities to support safety, security, mental health, cohesion and education objectives. We acted swiftly after the 7 October attacks to make these commitments because all Australians deserve to live in a country that is peaceful, accepting and respectful.
This is in addition to government investments that work to protect Australians from terrorist and violent extremist content online and targeted mental health and community support, including for students. The Albanese Labor government is working to protect and promote the safety and wellbeing of all Australians.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Marielle Smith, a second supplementary?
Senator MARIELLE SMITH (South Australia) (14:12): What can leaders across Australian communities do to promote social cohesion at this difficult time, and why do all people in this place have a special responsibility to show leadership?
Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:13): I’ve said before in this place that words matter, and the lesson of history is that words matter. Feelings and attitudes in our country are affected not only by events but also by the words that leaders give them and that our politicians use. All of us in this place have a platform, and we must use our platforms to bring our community together and not to inflame tensions. We should all be deeply concerned by the rise of antisemitism in the Australian community. We should denounce it and reject it utterly, just as we should all forms of racism and prejudice.
I would again urge, as I have many times since the conflict began but also across many years, all in this place to articulate and defend the values and principles that underpin who we are and what we believe in—inclusion, acceptance, respect and equality. We must always choose unity, not division; respect, not prejudice; and hope, not fear, and in doing so make Australia more united at home and stronger in the world. (Time expired)