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Legislative Assembly
 
CHRISTCHURCH MOSQUES TERRORIST ATTACK

19 March 2019
Condolences
Frank McGuire  (ALP)

 


Mr McGUIRE (Broadmeadows) (15:13:12): Australians of many faiths and none offered condolences, food and flowers at the Meadow Heights mosque. Local resident Dylan walked in off the street, wearing thongs, shorts and a T-shirt, to voluntarily guard the entrance on Sunday. He silently held a sign declaring, 'Pray in peace. We are all one. I will stand watch’. Dylan’s defence of humanity evoked tears then hugs. Standing in solidarity against hate brought smiles to families mourning how 50 worshippers could be gunned down for answering the call to prayer. Inside the mosque I thanked families for their imagination to dream of a better future and the courage to cross the world to pursue it. Multiculturalism was forged on the factory floors in Melbourne’s north as wave upon wave of postwar migrants underwrote prosperity and Australia’s record-breaking run of economic growth that we enjoy today. Their descendants have risen to leadership positions throughout our country. Many have joined us in this Parliament today. Salaam alaikum. A Muslim prayer is for protection against tragedy but, when we must confront it, to bring out the best in our response. To achieve this result we must unite against terror, no matter the ideology or hatred proffered as justification. We must call out hate speech and the way it is used to dehumanise people because of their colour or faith. One of Australia’s greatest gifts is that faith—to believe or not—is a personal privilege and constitutional right. In my inaugural speech eight years ago I highlighted how dividing communities through race is perilous. My concern was that race is no longer a straightforward, morally unambiguous force in Australian politics. Unfortunately this deterioration has become worse and must be confronted. We must replace the hyperpartisanship in politics with responsible government. We need responsible speech, not hate speech. Our mutual obligation is to help build cohesive communities so a new wave of migrants, with children in their arms and hope in their hearts, searching for a better life, as my family did before them, do not feel isolated and marginalised but have access to opportunity. This is the hope of Australia, and I can tell you that only the accents, not the aspirations, have changed. I join the Premier and the Victorian Parliament in offering condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the innocent victims whose lives were tragically lost in the terror in the Christchurch mosques. We send a message of solidarity to Victorian Muslim communities and communities around the world. We condemn all forms of violence and terrorism, and we reaffirm our commitment to a strong multicultural and multifaith Victoria. On behalf of the people of Broadmeadows, a proud, resilient community, home to twice as many Muslim families as any other state district, we will advance side by side. Pray in peace. We are all one. We will stand watch.