Discrimination

I remind Australians of what is at stake in our democracy when we hear our most respected leaders saying, ‘Hitler would be proud.’ I say: never again. We must remember that during the Second World War, between 1938 and 1945, six million Jews were exterminated—not just Jews but Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, people of colour, gypsies, gays and those with disabilities. I’ve seen the Holocaust memorials firsthand during a visit to the Dachau concentration camp in Bavaria. And I say to those children in the gallery: it’s heartbreaking. It’s dangerous and evil.

On 7 October last year, on Israeli soil, 1,200 Jews were massacred once again, this time by Hamas—a terrorist organisation. It was the largest number since the Shoah. A hundred and thirty hostages continue to be held, and women are being brutally tortured and sexually abused. Our nation needs leadership that stands against discrimination, against rising antisemitism, against fear and against violence against women and children, not a government that has failed to strongly denounce antisemitism and failed to set the right tone for our nation. We need a prime minister with a backbone who will vehemently reject this rising sentiment in our democracy with zero tolerance of antisemitism. We need the strength and determination that we see in our opposition leader. Fear, intimidation, discrimination—never again—