Thursday, 28 August 2025

Community safety

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:14): (1032) My question is to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. Minister, I refer to the rally on Sunday in Melbourne where hundreds of anti-Israel protesters gathered in the Melbourne CBD and a man claimed the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 was a hoax, saying:

October 7th was a hoax set up by Israel to justify its slaughter in Gaza …

My question to the minister is: why did you, as the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, decide not to call out this clearly antisemitic approach that must inevitably weaken our multicultural fabric?

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I am struggling with that being within the minister’s remit. ‘A man said something’ – that was your question – and that is within the responsibilities of this minister?

Ingrid Stitt: On a point of order, President, there was a bit of interjecting going on, and I did not quite catch the very end of Mr Davis’s question – there was a big lead-up. Could he please repeat the end of his question?

The PRESIDENT: Just so I am not going down the wrong track too, I am happy for you to read it all. Do not change it, read it all, and then we will go from there.

David DAVIS: Minister, I refer to the rally on Sunday in Melbourne where hundreds of anti-Israel protesters gathered in the Melbourne CBD and a man claimed the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 was a hoax, saying:

October 7th was a hoax set up by Israel to justify its slaughter in Gaza.

My question to the minister is: why did you, as the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, decide not to call out this clearly antisemitic approach that must inevitably weaken our multicultural fabric?

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us do our best here.

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:17): I am not going to take lectures from Mr Davis or any of those opposite about social cohesion in our state after their pathetic performance yesterday. They are so lost in their own political, divisive wilderness that they cannot actually understand that their actions are what is undermining our social cohesion here in Victoria.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, this is an opportunity for the minister to answer a question, not attack the opposition. She could just get on and answer it. I know this minister does not want to answer this question. I know she is resistant to answering this question. I know she has got difficulties with it.

The PRESIDENT: A point of order is not for a minister to attack the opposition in replying to a question – that might have been there – but the issue is that if a member asks a provocative question, it is very hard for me to maintain the situation in the chamber. I will ask the minister to continue.

Ingrid STITT: The nub of Mr Davis’s question was about weakening the social fabric of our community, and I would ask them to look at their own track record on this.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, the point of question time is questions are asked of ministers. The minister does not get to ask questions of others. That is not what question time is about.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! Members on the government benches! I will name some people in a minute if it keeps going. There might be some early lunches for some people.

Ingrid STITT: Let me just say this: Mr Davis can spend his time as a representative in this Parliament going on Sky after dark and picking at the social cohesion in our state. He can critique me, as the minister, all he likes. He can critique the Premier all he likes on Sky after dark, but what I am focused on is making sure that in Victoria, no matter your cultural background, no matter who you pray to, no matter where you live, you feel that you belong and that you are supported at every level of government and at every level of our community. That is my focus.

Those opposite might like to focus on how they can play their little political games, but what we saw yesterday was on full display. They do not know what they stand for, and they do not know what they care about.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, it is very clear that the standing orders do not allow the attack of the opposition. They provide an opportunity for ministers to answer questions.

The PRESIDENT: That ruling has been made a number of times over the years. I uphold that part of the point of order, but the minister is allowed to respond to a question in the way it has been put.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:21): At the same rally on Sunday Senator Lidia Thorpe called for a boycott of major fast-food chains McDonald’s and KFC, claiming they had connections to Israel. She went on to say:

The only way we’re going to get traction here is to boycott Israel in all its forms.

We have to come together, no more maccas, no more KFC … we have to deprive Israel of their power.

Senator Lidia Thorpe appears set to reintroduce a version of the BDS, the boycott, divestment and sanctions regime, targeting businesses with links to Israel. Minister, is such an antisemitic activity at that rally clearly not consistent with our multiculturalism and our legislation?

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I do believe it is asking for an opinion. Also, as far as the minister’s responsibilities in the general orders go, she is not responsible for an independent senator. She is not responsible. She may have some remit with federal ministers, but I do not think she has got any responsibility for any other federal MPs.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, the Minister for Multicultural Affairs is well able to make statements against a new form of BDS, and she could launch an investigation. She could do all of that.

The PRESIDENT: I am struggling with the lack of sleep I think, but I do not know how I can put that question. Do you want to try and rephrase it?

David DAVIS: I will put it very succinctly if the minister would like.

Members interjecting.

David DAVIS: I am dealing with a barrage. Given Lidia Thorpe appears set to reintroduce a new version of BDS – boycott, divestment and sanctions – targeting businesses with links to Israel, I ask the Minister for Multicultural Affairs: will she launch an investigation into this?

The PRESIDENT: It is not in the minister’s remit to do an investigation into something that was said by an independent senator.

David Davis: Actually it is, President.

The PRESIDENT: I do not think it is.