Acting Deputy President I, too, offer my deepest condolences to the families, friends and communities whose loved ones were murdered at Bondi on the 14th of December 2025.
Fifteen people were murdered by a cruel and senseless act against Jewish Australians celebrating a holy day, in an iconic Australian place.
And, of course, for those of us who live in Sydney, it’s not only an iconic Australian place – it’s a very ordinary Australian place.
The forty injured are left with physical, emotional and spiritual scars that no community should have to bear.
The thousands of Australians at the beach on that day, traumatised by what happened, we should put our arms around them too.
And as I listen to the contributions in this condolence motion, I’m reminded that no individual condolence contribution itself can possibly meet the moment.
All of our contributions are, in some way, inadequate.
But, together, the purpose of a condolence motion in the Australian Senate is that, together, we send a message to the Australian community and the Australian Jewish community of our condolence, our solidarity and our sense of loss.
And, as a Senator from New South Wales, as a member of the Government and as a Sydneysider myself, I want to add my voice to that too – both for our condolence and our response.
The attack realised the Jewish community’s deepest fears.
It also assaulted all that is good about the welcoming and inclusive society we have built together here in Australia.
Tania Tretiak, Boris Tetleroyd, Tibor Weitzen, Reuven Morrison and Alex Kleytman came here to build lives free from hatred, intolerance and conflict.
So did Valentyna and Michael, the loving parents of Matilda ‘Bee’.
Matilda was their first Australian born. Her parents ask us to ‘remember her name’ because, in their words, when they named her, it was ‘the most Australian name that could ever exist’.
That struck a very deep chord with me.
Each of those lost were part of Sydney’s social fabric.
Former detective Peter Meagher was a committed volunteer at Randwick Rugby Union Football Club.
Edith Brutman was a leading advocate against prejudice and discrimination among the local Jewish community.
Rabbis Eli Schlanger and Yaakov Levitan gave that community intellectual, social and spiritual leadership.
The kind of leadership that young people like Dan Elkayam, travelling the world but anchored by their faith, must have deeply valued.
For so many families, the violence leaves an inextinguishable sadness.
I think of Adam Smyth, loved husband and father of four, and Marika Pogany, who was described as a ‘beautiful mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and steadfast friend’ by her family.
This week, we provide what comfort we can, and we advance the hard work of reckoning with this atrocity.
Addressing the motives and the means – the hateful, extremist ideology and the awful weaponry that enabled it.
In honouring fifteen good people, we strive to make a safer, stronger Australia worthy of their memory.
There were some truly extraordinary acts of self-sacrifice at Bondi.
Boris and Sofia Gurman stood up to terror with utmost bravery and paid the highest price.
Ahmed Al Ahmed, who risked his life to disarm one of the gunmen, later said he acted because his soul required it.
We come together now because our nation’s soul requires it.
The social and political compact that keeps Australia strong, democratic and safe is under pressure.
Those of us elected to this parliament must rise to the moment.
There are positive examples of national leadership we can emulate.
On the 15th of March 2019, a man mobilised by racist, white supremacist hatred, murdered 51 New Zealanders at a mosque in Christchurch.
The then-Prime Minister and her government responded admirably and substantially, and so too did the conservative, centre-right opposition National Party.
There was unequivocal condemnation of the violence.
Support for faith communities and a willingness to reaffirm a multi-faith, multicultural and united New Zealand.
Bipartisan action to pursue anti-hate measures and to strengthen New Zealand’s gun laws.
The people of Sydney have modelled that positive example of togetherness and unity of purpose all summer.
Supporting one another in grief and holding on to all that is good about Australia, including that well-loved beach and that extraordinary floral tribute in the days that followed the massacre and I want to acknowledge my friend Senator Tony Sheldon – we attended that remarkable tribute shortly after the massacre.
Let’s emulate the example of the people of Sydney and people of Australia and rise to the occasion as the occasion demands.
ENDS
