Page 687 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 19 March 2019
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As we express our sorrow, we also express our abhorrence at the views apparently behind this attack. There is no place in our society for such views. The ACT government and Canberrans more broadly stand against extremism, hatred and violence. In fact, both the territory government and people right across our city stand for diversity, for compassion, for inclusion, for tolerance and for acceptance.
At this very difficult time it is important that we come together and support those members of our community, the Australian community, the New Zealand community, and indeed, the global community who have been affected. In this light, we are very proud to see so many community-led events taking place to acknowledge the profound impacts of these attacks. All Canberrans—people of all faiths and people of no faith—are invited to attend these events and continue to demonstrate solidarity for those impacted by these horrific attacks. On behalf of all of my colleagues in the ACT government, I sincerely thank the many community groups who are contributing to these events.
These vigils are a demonstration of our strength as a community and our unwavering focus on ensuring that all people are safe in their homes, safe in their places of worship, safe in their workplaces and safe in the broader community. We stand with our Muslim community members at this time. We stand with all New Zealanders. No two countries in this world are closer than Australia and New Zealand. They are us, and we offer our ongoing support to all.
MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (10.22): The Canberra Liberals join the government in this display of unity at a time of such tragedy. I too would like to acknowledge the Deputy Chief of Mission and the Air Commodore for being with us today, because Australia and New Zealand have a very special affinity. Whilst there is that friendly rivalry that exists, such rivalry is only possible amongst family. That is why the tragic events of Friday strike a chord with all of us here, despite being thousands of kilometres away.
It is quite possible that Friday will be one of those occasions when we all remember where we were when we heard about the enormity of what happened in Christchurch. It is one of those occasions that sends a shiver down our spine, thinking about the extreme trauma all those defenceless victims must have felt. It is also a reminder that terrorism is not confined to a religion, a country, an ethnicity, or anything else. Terrorism is evil.
The events in Christchurch have had and will continue to have a significant impact on the New Zealand population at large but also, of course, on the Islamic community in New Zealand, and indeed the global Islamic community. That is why there has been such a strong outpouring of grief amongst Canberra’s Islamic community in the days that have followed.
I would like to honour Canberra’s Muslim community for the solidarity and dignity they have demonstrated over the last few days. It would have been so easy to have responded with hate, but they have responded with love. To Mohammed Ali, who is in the gallery with us today, and all your colleagues in the Muslim community, we admire all that you have done in recent days.
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