Thank you Speaker. 

 

I rise today to acknowledge the profound loss and sadness of the Cunningham community following the horrific terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on Sunday the 14th of December at the Hanukkah by the Sea event.

 

On that horrific evening, 15 innocent lives were taken, and our country has been left shaken and reeling.

 

I give my sincere and heartfelt condolences to all those who lost a loved one, and whose lives have been changed forever.

 

Hanukkah is the festival of lights – a festival with a message of optimism and hope.  

 

When reflecting on the events of that night, I focus on the acts that truly demonstrate the Australian spirit.

 

The bravery of ordinary Australians, of our first responders – paid and volunteered – who put themselves in danger to help and protect others.

 

We saw people running towards danger; stepping in front of a gunman because maybe they could stop him; calling out warnings and sheltering total strangers.

 

People putting kindness and caring for others first.

 

That is what being Australian truly means.

 

One week after the Bondi attack, on the National Day of Reflection, I attended the lighting of the Menorah with the Jewish Community of Wollongong, along with local leaders from all faiths.

 

Nepalese, Indian, Vietnamese, Buddhist monks, and a First Nations pastor, as well as members of the Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra, the Salvation Army, the Member for Whitlam, the Member for Wollongong, the Deputy Mayor and local councillors, and Wollongong Area Commander Superintendent Karen Cook, local police and many members of our community.

 

We all stood together as one with our Jewish community, as Rabbi Menachem Aron spread a message of love, light and kindness.

 

It was a display of solidarity and of shared grief demonstrating that we will not allow hate to define who we are or how we gather.

 

I want to thank Dr Yoke Berry from the Wollongong Jewish Community for her strength and kindness in the face of this terrible event.

 

Days after the Bondi attack, I joined with the Member for Wollongong, the Member for Macarthur, the Member for Reid, as well as Will Nemesh the Waverley Mayor and many mayors from across NSW, as well as thousands of others to lay flowers at the Bondi Pavillion.

 

People from all faiths, all backgrounds, all walks of life gathered in their shared grief – and their shared determination to ensure this is never repeated.

 

I was also joined by young members of the Jewish community Pnina Hagege, Zac Morris and Ellie Zilberman who came to pay their respects, as well as Kath Cummins, and I wanted to also acknowledge their presence, their resolve and their kindness.

 

I also acknowledge the leadership of the Muslim community in engaging constructively and respectfully with government since the events at Bondi.

 

The President of the Omar Mosque in Gwynneville has long put community unity above hate, noting that when it came to the Bondi attacks that “these were sick individuals who did this”.

 

Syrian-born Ahmed Al-Ahmed is one of the heroes of Bondi – putting his life at risk to save other people in his community.

 

His bravery was simply awe-inspiring.

 

I unequivocably condemn the actions of the perpetrators at Bondi and I condemn antisemitism, hatred and racism in all its forms.

 

We cannot allow more hate to be the response to this act of hate.

 

We cannot allow extremism to be responded to with further extremist behaviour.

 

This attack has struck at the core of our beliefs.

 

Acts of such immense and intense hatred are aimed at dividing us and driving a wedge between us, in this case, based on religion.

 

But it has not.

 

It has united our community – firstly in shock and grief, but now into a steely determination that similar incidents are not repeated against any group or at any gathering.

 

Over the last month we have seen both the best and the worst of humanity but the best elements of us have consistently risen to guide us.

 

I hope to see others continue to put kindness and unity above division.

 

We must do all that we can so that this event is not repeated in Australia.

 

The theme of our National Day of Mourning on Thursday, as requested by Rabbi Ulman, will be “Light will Win – a Gathering of Unity and Remembrance.”

 

We must use the light to guide us from this dark period and we must use the light to help us stamp out hate in all its forms in all parts of our community.

 

I again give my deepest condolences to the friends, family and community of the victims of this senseless attack – may this tragedy help guide us to a better, more cohesive and more respectful Australia.