Wednesday, 1 November 2023

 Dylan WIGHT (Tarneit) (10:00): As I rise, I stand with the Palestinian people and condemn the killing of innocent civilians and children in Gaza. As I do so, I also condemn the terrorist organisation Hamas for the atrocities that it has committed against the people of Israel. The crimes of Hamas, though, cannot justify the attacks that we are seeing against Palestinian civilians.

Tarneit is an electorate with a large Muslim and Arabic population. As a state Victoria is enriched by a strong and vibrant Islamic community. As a newly elected representative, I have found the local Islamic and Arabic community to be extraordinarily welcoming and kind. This has imparted to me an even deeper understanding of how important it is that we stand up and speak out against Islamophobia and discrimination in all of its forms. I acknowledge that many within the Arabic community in Victoria are being confronted with distressing images and stories coming out of Gaza. Their pain and anguish are palpable. They are witnessing devastation that impacts their family, their friends and their community. We can and we must condemn Islamophobia and antisemitism as it occurs both here and overseas. We must speak out against indiscriminate destruction of lives, of homes and of urban infrastructure. The international community and the Australian government must advocate for a ceasefire. We must show support to our Palestinian and Arabic communities in Victoria. We must reaffirm – (Time expired)