Thursday, 30 November 2023

Community safety

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (10:31): I want to indicate my enormous sympathy to the families of hostages, who have been set upon in such a catastrophic and disgraceful way by a number of the activists who have targeted them. We heard them speak in this Parliament yesterday after question time. A number of us were in the audience, and we heard the harrowing stories, the indications of the shameful behaviour of Hamas which has caused so many deaths, but also the taking of hostages and the reaction of those families. I can only think and I can only imagine – or perhaps I cannot – how they must have felt when these disgraceful, un-Victorian, un-Australian activists appeared outside their hotel, having stalked them and tracked them down to actually really behave in such a disgraceful way. I know others from Southern Metropolitan Region in particular, but most in this chamber, will be shocked and horrified at what they have seen and heard. It is un-Australian, and it is un-Victorian. I stand by Israel on this. I stand by the families of the hostages. Those hostages should be released. The fact is that many of these activists want to destroy Israel. There is no question of what is going on here, and there are lessons for us worldwide. (Time expired)