Tuesday, 17 March 2026

 Trung LUU (Western Metropolitan) (14:02): In recent times we have seen painful divisions emerge in our communities. Both Jewish and Muslim Australians have faced a disturbing rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia, verbal and physical abuse, threats, property damage and even the tragic loss of life. These are the lives of our fellow Australian citizens. It is 2026, and in a civilised nation like ours there is no place for hatred and no place for violence based on colour, race or religious belief. On 15 March the world marked the United Nations International Day to Combat Islamophobia in remembrance of the Christchurch mosque attack, an act of terror against innocent people simply because they were Muslim. I remember the racism directed to Asian Australians in the 1980s, born from ignorance and misinformation. But through education and understanding, those fears have been proven false and Asian Australians have become a proud part of our national story. Today rising anti-Muslim hatred – including attacks on mosques and abuse directed at Muslim women – threatens not only individuals but also our democracy and social cohesion. Australians are stronger than that. When we stand together, when we choose compassion over fear and unity over division, hatred has no place here.