Ed Husic
Chifley · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“The tragedy of that poem has befallen generations from then to now—the fact that we enjoy being in the sun so much. In many respects we have paid for that enjoyment, and in many cases we've paid for it with our lives, with the cancers that have emerged, particularly melanoma.”
“It's been that sacrifice that he made combined with the observation that, in so much of what he did, there was an absence of gravitas and ego. Richard was us. He walked amongst us all, containing that special talent and gift that he had, with desire to save others. That, I think, marks him out.”
“A lot has been said about what Richard Scolyer has done in terms of his professional, scientific and research background. But I want to come back, if I may, to the remarks I just reflected on. When we think of the Australian character we think of our ability to overcome with physical attributes.”
“These things include not just our toughness and not just the fact that so often the Australian character is defined by a very heavy physical element, of being able to survive the elements themselves. One of the big things that's helped this nation survive is our know-how and smarts.”
“When I paid my condolences to Richard's wife, Katie—and Katie, Emily, Matt and Lucy were on the floor of the chamber with us yesterday—I expressed the view to Katie that her husband was a national hero. National heroes don't always attain that description of heroism because they've been successful.”
“I don't think any of us would not have been touched by that final letter that he penned, knowing how hard it would have been to write those words—every single letter in those words, every apostrophe and particularly the full stop.”
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“We've introduced important safeguards, including reforms to critical infrastructure, security and competition law, yet the aforementioned inquiry found: … there is a significant procurement capability gap in the APS, which is characterised by risk-aversion, inter-agency fragmentation and non-compliance. Procurement is often obsessively framed, in this place, in terms of 'achieving value for money', 'ensuring probity' and 'avoiding waste'. All of that's essential, but you cannot be blinkered around those concepts. Value for money is not confined simply to the lowest upfront price. It can and should incorporate long-term strategic value.”
“Other European jurisdictions have migrated public servant inboxes from Microsoft to open-source alternatives, have shifted file sharing from SharePoint to Nextcloud and are exploring replacing Windows with Linux. At the European level, the push for digital sovereignty has become a formal policy agenda. The European Commission's leadership has warned that reliance on single countries or companies in critical digital infrastructure can be weaponised. The EU has paired strong regulatory frameworks with strategic investment and procurement levers designed to foster domestic capability. We don't have that kind of thought leadership occurring on national soil right now, and we should. Australia isn't insulated from these pressures. Our public sector relies extensively on global cloud and software providers.”
“We are now seeing governments around the world, especially middle powers, move fast on treating procurement as an issue of sovereignty and diversifying things such as digital investments. Just over a month ago, the French government announced that 2.5 million civil servants will transition away from videoconferencing tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams and move to a homegrown system. The French government was explicit about its reasoning: to guarantee the security and confidentiality of public electronic communications, and to rely on a powerful sovereign tool. French ministers have spoken openly about the risks of sensitive data and strategic innovation being exposed to foreign actors.”
“Mark Carney, who, at the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, uttered words that would resonate deeply. He said: … when we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness. We accept what's offered. We compete with each other to be the most accommodating. This is not sovereignty. It's the performance of sovereignty while accepting subordination. When speaking about what it means for middle powers to 'live the truth', he said: … it means reducing the leverage that enables coercion—that's building a strong domestic economy. It should be every government's immediate priority. And diversification internationally is not just economic prudence, it's a material foundation for honest foreign policy, because countries earn the right to principled stands by reducing their vulnerability to retaliation.”
“In 2023, the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee conducted an inquiry into supporting the development of sovereign capability in the Australian tech sector. The committee report states: The increasingly globalised nature of the tech sector increases the risk of economic disruptions resulting from geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, pandemics, supply chain volatility, raw material shortages, and overseas regulations and policies. These risks necessitate a need for Australia to balance advantageous participation in the global tech market with ensuring adequate sovereign capabilities to mitigate these risks. Why is this important? Rewind to last week, when we were privileged to be addressed in this place by the Prime Minister of Canada, the Rt Hon.”
“The question for us is not only whether that money is spent efficiently, though it must be, but also whether it's spent strategically. Does that spend give us bang for buck well beyond the simple purchase of a good or service? Are we taking the opportunity to also use our purchasing power to build sovereign capability? For example, are we giving Australian technology companies a chance to scale here rather than just waving them off to go overseas? Are we strengthening national resilience in the face of rising global uncertainty, and are we prepared to use the enormous economic leverage that procurement provides to build the future we want—dare I say it, a future made in Australia?”
“Appropriation bills, like the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026 and the related bills, are also about the investment choices that we make as a nation. They tell Australians what we value and the type of future we intend to create. They fund the essential services people rely on. They also shape the way the government participates in and influences the economy through its decisions. Much broader than that too, these bills underpin something we should be talking more about this in this place, and that's government procurement. Governments always need a lot of goods and services to get things done, so government purchasing power can't be understated. On average, the Commonwealth government procurement program entails around $70 billion and 80,000 contracts committed each year.”
“We can't stand by and let profiteering run wild. We must act now. We can't be timid. We can't be meek about our national interest. These are our resources—our gas at our prices.”
“In my letter to the Treasurer, I've urged him to send an unambiguous signal that, if gas companies seek to profiteer off what's happening in the Middle East, the government is prepared to cap prices again. I also reckon we have to seriously consider the proposal to tax gas exports. Australians are rightly angry that most exported gas attracts zero royalties and that the economic return from this national resource is disproportionately captured by foreign shareholders. Advocates of this proposal believe it can protect uncontracted gas from being shipped off in the blink of an eye by gas firms, prioritising supply to all Australians. It's also got the potential to raise billions in revenue annually for the government. While I think the east coast gas reservation plan is massively important, it's going to take time to set up.”
“According to AEMO, in a hypothetical worst-case scenario, the east coast might face a shortfall of 153 petajoules, yet exporters send overseas eight times that volume in uncontracted gas each year. These facts will stun Australians. The facts point to the reality that this is a broken market. The only winners are profiteers. Australian politics has got to acknowledge the red-hot anger that exists about the greed of gas companies felt by voters of all political persuasions. That's why Australians were such strong supporters of our government's actions in 2022 to cap gas prices after they shot through the roof as gas companies raced to make 'Putin profits' off the back of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.”
“But, with so much gas in this country, we don't have a shortage of supply; we have a glut of greed. How can it possibly be that Australia doesn't have enough of our own gas for our own needs, bearing in mind that the amount of Australian gas that Japan onsells in a year is nearly double what we use on the east coast annually? This is astounding. We may be told that supply is limited because so much gas is locked in under long-term contracts, but this argument ignores a crucial fact. According to the Australia Institute, around 30 per cent of all gas exported from Australia is not needed to meet contract commitments. Instead, that surplus is sold on the spot market for higher profit. This excess capacity dramatically exceeds any domestic supply risk.”
“Power bills shot up when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, as gas companies exploited the crisis to ramp up prices and profits. Australia's east coast has been forced to accept globally indexed pricing for gas because these companies are focused more on the export market, where they can make the most money. This has seen our domestic wholesale gas prices tripling in the last decade. Get this: because of their profiteering obsession, in the past five years, those gas companies have shipped away enough gas to supply our nation for two decades at current usage levels. Despite this, Australians are repeatedly told supply is tight. We had the ACCC tell us in December that the east coast gas market is facing a projected shortfall in the second quarter of the year.”
“With this supply, we should be better positioned than most to insulate ourselves from price shocks, securing our gas at our prices, or so you'd think. Let me quickly focus on fuel prices because I want to congratulate the Treasurer for the swift action he's taken, instructing the ACCC to monitor petrol prices closely and act where necessary. His actions have put petrol companies on notice: don't use this conflict as an excuse for price hikes or profiteering. I wrote to the Treasurer today urging him to build on his good work, empower the ACCC to monitor gas prices weekly and let multinational companies know they cannot rip off this nation as they rip our gas out of the country. Based on recent experience, we have every reason to be concerned.”
“As a result of the awful conflict in the Middle East, we are once again witnessing how quickly shock waves can travel in a globalised world. My thoughts are always firmly with innocent civilians directly impacted, with recent events having completely devastating consequences, especially for children. The sooner hostilities cease, the better for all across the region. These days, distance from a conflict in another part of the world is hardly a guarantee that countries will be shielded from aftershock. If a nation relies on another for the supply of a critical good, like oil or gas, and that supply is disrupted, predictably, the upward price movements can be brutal. Australia possesses some of the biggest reserves of gas on the planet.”
“Expanding bulk-billing for DXA scans would not only protect women's health but also prevent future hospitalisation, surgery and suffering. As Karen said to me, preventive care offers a clear return on investment, both for the healthcare system financially and for the quality of life of patients. I've written to the Minister for Health and Ageing to share Karen's story, and I look forward to working with him and continuing to advance Australia's world-class healthcare system. I say to Karen and others that I can't guarantee the outcome, but I guarantee the effort on this fight.”
“To his family and loved ones, I offer heartfelt condolences. He will be greatly missed but never ever forgotten. It is stunning to consider that each week we lose a woman under 40 to breast cancer. In the face of this confronting condition, women deserve care that lifts burdens, not adds to them. Last week I met Karen at my mobile office in Marayong. She spoke with such honesty about living with breast cancer, the emotional and physical strength it takes each day and the constant worry of how to manage the cost of care. Many women undergoing essential endocrine therapy for breast cancer face significant out-of-pocket costs for bone density scans, or DXA scans, that help detect dangerous treatment-related bone loss. Medicare rebates for DXA scans apply only from the age of 70, despite the average age of breast cancer diagnosis being 61.”
“Not long after that he joined Mount Druitt Medical Centre as a medical practitioner, where he dedicated nearly five decades of his life, right up to September last year. Like many devoted GPs in our community, Dr Kek could have easily earned far more in other parts of Sydney, but he was determined to remain in Mount Druitt because he believed deeply in serving the people who needed him most and the community that he loved. Dr Kek embodied the very best of traditional general practice. He was often the first to arrive at the centre and the last to leave, and he cared for generations of families. Many of his patients grew up with him as their doctor from birth through to parenthood. His compassion left an indelible mark on our community and will be a lasting inspiration for future generations of doctors.”
“I want to honour an extraordinary member of our community, Dr Teng-Kiong Kek, who passed away peacefully on 10 January this year. His loss is felt deeply across Mount Druitt and well beyond. Born in Malaysia in 1954, Dr Kek came to Australia in the mid seventies as a young man with a single aim to study medicine and serve others. While completing his medical degree, he was diagnosed with kidney failure. Yet, in the face of that, his resolve never faltered. Remarkably, he sat his final medical exams and then went straight into a kidney transplant. That determination would define the rest of his life. In the eighties, he moved to Western Sydney and worked as a resident at Blacktown Hospital.”
“The Medicare urgent care clinic that means people don't have to wait in EDs was a deliberate decision by our government. That's huge. The fact that we've invested huge amounts of hospital funding in the states was a deliberate decision as well. This is not a lottery. This is not chance. This is because you've got a Labor government that's dedicated to the proposition that our value of fairness must be reflected in our healthcare system, principally through Medicare, of which we are all enormously proud.”
“I take on board the point that the member for Fowler made about workforce shortages. But that happens in many parts of Western Sydney. Some of it is also reflected by the fact that some doctors who get trained in our area go to the eastern part of the city, where they'll make more money. I reflected in the Federation Chamber today on the recent passing of Dr Teng-Kiong Kek. He worked for 40 years in Mount Druitt. He could have gone anywhere else, but he deliberately stayed in our part of Western Sydney because he wanted to provide that level of care. There are a lot of doctors like him in our part of the world and in the member for Fowler's part of the world. The fact that $12 million has been saved on two million scripts in my part of the world because people can get their medicines cheaper and don't have to worry about costs is huge.”
“There was a threat that gap fees would be introduced in areas where they had bulk-billing. I might just say to the House that Mount Druitt, 2770, has the highest MBS bulk-billing rate in the country, Blacktown has the fifth-highest and, I think you'd be proud, Member for Fowler, Fairfield is at No. 3. This is not a lottery; it is a reflection that, in areas where the socioeconomics demand it, we'll provide for that. It is very important. There were deliberate decisions taken by Liberal governments. When they couldn't pull Medicare apart, they choked it. They underspent. They underinvested in the MBS and hoped that it would wither away, that it would be replaced by gap fees and that there would be less requirement for government to spend. It was a deliberate decision.”
“Nearly every MP—well, I would say every Labor MP—in this House is enormously proud of that. But I must say it will go down for all of our days as a huge point of pride that this government has invested more in Medicare than any Labor government other than the one that set up Medicare in the first place. This is hugely important. I come back to the point I talked about earlier where you've got uninsured adults, say, in America who'll go without health care because they can't afford it. I'll tell you, Member for Fowler, in my community, in my part of Western Sydney, I never want to have one single person say that they will not go to a doctor because they can't afford it or say that they just cannot face the fact of having gap fees, which was a genuine threat three years ago.”
“Medical expenses are the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States. Job loss, often linked to healthcare related bankruptcy, is a close second. Finally, and most devastatingly, two out of five Americans are emotionally affected by medical debt more than other serious incidents or illnesses. This isn't an accident. That system has been set up and run in that way for ages. Medicare was not an accident. It was a deliberate decision. It is, I dare say, an actual reflection of value in this country. Medicare reflects our value of fairness. Universality is about people in need who should get the support they require at that time of need, regardless of income, and we all chip in to make sure people get access to that health care. I'd also make the point that it was a Labor government that introduced Medicare.”
“I think in this debate too context is important. I want to read some stats out to the House, if I may. Americans spend on average more than $12,000 per person on health care, almost twice as much as Australians. That gap alone cancels out about half the difference in income per person between the US and Australia, according to the World Bank. Nearly half of US adults find it difficult to afford health care, with uninsured individuals and those with lower incomes facing the most significant challenges. Seventy per cent of adults in low-income households in America report difficulty affording healthcare costs. Three in four uninsured adults under the age of 65 say they went without needed care because of the cost. That's an important stat I want to come back to.”
“Work is also progressing on extending unfair-trading protections to small businesses and franchisees and on removing non-compete clauses for lower income workers, supporting mobility, competition and productivity. All these reflect a consistent principle that well-functioning markets require strong competition and strong consumer protection. All in all, this is a government that backs everyday consumers, with a track record to prove it. I commend the motion to the House.”
“We've backed in CHOICE to publish quarterly price-monitoring reports so shoppers can compare baskets of goods, and from 1 July 2026 we'll ban price gouging by supermarkets, prohibiting them from charging prices that are excessive when compared to the cost of supply plus a reasonable margin. Further work is underway to improve transparency around promotions, loyalty programs and price trends, reflecting concerns raised through the ACCC inquiry. Reforms to merger notification and planning barriers are aimed at making it easier for new competitors to enter the market, strengthening long-term competitive pressure. Australians shouldn't be treated like mugs at the check-out. They deserve transparency.”
“The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's supermarkets inquiry provided clear evidence of structural issues confronting the sector, and here's what the ACCC told us: That's pretty damning. Australians feel cost-of-living pressures most acutely when they buy food for their family. So, when the regulator tells us that anticompetitive behaviour is set to continue for the foreseeable future, we've got to be able to step in, and we've done so. We made the food and grocery code mandatory, for example, and we've increased the ACCC's funding—more than $30 million—to help it investigate misleading pricing and bad-faith conduct.”
“We're ending drip pricing by requiring unavoidable transaction fees to be displayed prominently and upfront so Australians know the real price before they buy. We're strengthening consumer guarantees so that, when products fail, Australians get the repair, replacement or refund that they're entitled to, backed by civil penalties and stronger enforcement powers. Manufacturers will be required to reimburse suppliers for the cost of providing those remedies, ensuring small businesses aren't left bearing the financial burden of faults they didn't create. These changes protect consumers while also supporting the many businesses that already compete fairly and transparently. Nowhere is the need for fairness more visible than at the supermarket check-out.”
“It's about whether the price displayed is the price actually paid; whether a household can manage its budget by cancelling, for example, subscriptions that it doesn't need—and can do so without the hassle—and whether the weekly shopping reflects genuine competition rather than concentrated market power in the terms that are dictated by it. The government is committed to taking on dodgy business tactics by banning unfair trading practices that cost Australians time and money. We're ending, for example, subscription traps by requiring the clear disclosure of key terms before signing up, reminders before free trial periods end and cancellation processes that are just as easy as signing up.”
“Strong markets rely on trust. They rely on clear information, genuine competition and the confidence of the people who participate in them every day. Strong consumer laws are a foundation stone of that trust. They ensure Australians are treated fairly, protected from misleading conduct and able to participate in markets with confidence. When consumers have that confidence, competition improves, prices fall, quality rises and innovation should follow. That's why the government has placed consumer protection at the centre of its cost-of-living agenda. Cost-of-living pressure is not only driven by wages and interest rates but also shaped by whether markets are transparent, contracts are clear and consumers can make informed choices.”
“I move: That this House: (1) notes that the Government is taking strong action to protect Australian consumers and ensure fairer markets by: (a) banning unfair trading practices economy wide that cost Australians time and money; (b) ending dodgy subscription traps by ensuring that consumers get clear information upfront, timely reminders before free trials end, and a cancellation process that is just as easy as signing up; (c) ending drip pricing by requiring businesses to display the full transaction costs upfront ensuring consumers know exactly what they are paying for; (d) strengthening consumer guarantees so Australians get products that work, repairs that are fair, and refunds they are entitled to; (e) banning supermarket price gouging from l July 2026 to prohibit very large retailers from charging excessive prices; (f) cracking down on shrinkflation, so companies cannot disguise price increases by reducing package sizes while charging the same, or more; (g) making unit pricing clearer and more consistent, backed by penalties for non-compliance, so consumers can spot real value at a glance and are not misled by tricky labels; and (h) consulting on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's recommendations to boost transparency on prices, promotions and loyalty programs at supermarkets, making it easier for Australians to assess value for money; and (2) supports this comprehensive consumer protection agenda designed to deliver fairer prices, more competition, and a better deal for Australians.”
“The House Standing Committee on Economics continues to monitor the conduct of monetary policy, given its impact on members of the community and the important role that the RBA and its monetary policy conduct plays in broader economic management. Finally, I thank the secretariat for their diligent preparation and ongoing support to committee members through this review, and I extend my thanks to the entire committee membership. All their work is deeply appreciated. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).”
“Given the wide interest in this space, the committee will examine related matters in its inquiry into schemes, digital wallets and innovation in the payments sector, with public hearings set for 24 and 25 February. Reflecting a widespread contemporary focus on the growing impact of artificial intelligence, the committee discussed potential benefits and effects on businesses and on the economy more broadly. The committee also explored how technological innovation continues to transform the landscape within which the RBA performs its functions, from how the bank operates to its approach to research. These issues will continue to shape the RBA's work and the committee's future oversight.”
“The reforms undertaken to the RBA have strengthened transparency, enhanced the quality of public communication and improved the governance structure of the institution. The establishment of separate boards has enabled a clearer focus on monetary policy and institutional oversight. The RBA spoke to its commitment to strengthening its modelling, scenario analysis and forecasting capabilities, designed to support more robust policy formulation and ensure the bank remains responsive to emerging developments. Other significant themes canvassed through the hearing included the RBA's work to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the payment system through its review of retail payments regulation.”
“However, these dynamics warrant vigilance given potential spillovers to Australian demand, inflation and financial conditions, and the RBA continues to monitor risks to Australian economic growth. The governor also provided an overview of inflation overseas, commenting that some countries, such as the United Kingdom, continue to face price pressures while other countries such as Canada were observing low inflation but with rising unemployment rates. It was also the RBA's first appearance since the amended Reserve Bank Act 1959 came into force on 1 March 2025, creating a new monetary policy board and a separate governance board in line with the recommendations of the government's review of the RBA.”
“For instance, the Reserve Bank reiterated to the committee that Australia is not immune from the global trend of subdued productivity growth. A range of factors influencing changes to the productivity rate were discussed, including COVID, growth in non-market sectors, business dynamism and productivity in the mining sector. The committee heard that opportunities for productivity growth in Australia exist in areas such as renewables and artificial intelligence. Global developments were also covered. The committee was told by the governor we had witnessed a marked step-change in the world trading system, but explained that, as also emphasised in the August statement on monetary policy, the predicted impact of trade instability on the global economy had not materialised fully.”
“Today, I'd like to focus on monetary policy over the period covered by the report. At the time of the hearing on 22 September 2025, inflation had fallen from its 2022 peak of 7.8 per cent and sat between two and three per cent, while unemployment remained low at 4.2 per cent. Additionally, the RBA had eased monetary policy over the course of the year, reducing the cash rate by 75 basis points to 3.6 per cent. The unemployment rate of 4.2 per cent was low by historical standards, and 1.1 million more Australians were in employment than in mid-2022. Gross domestic product per capita had superseded pre-COVID levels. Beyond monetary policy, the committee examined a wide range of issues relating to Australia's current economic position.”
“On behalf of the Standing Committee on Economics, I present the committee's report entitled Review of the Reserve Bank of Australia a nnual r eport 2024 , together with the minutes of the proceedings. The Standing Committee on Economics' biannual hearings with the Reserve Bank of Australia have been an important mechanism to provide parliamentary scrutiny of the functions and decisions of Australia's central bank for nearly 30 years. The hearings offer an opportunity for the parliament, and for Australians more broadly, to better understand the conduct of monetary policy and the Reserve Bank's assessment of current economic conditions and the outlook ahead. Importantly, the committee had a chance to explore the progress implementing the most significant reforms to the RBA in more than three decades—more about that later.”
“In a time of fear and grief and anger, we all as parliamentarians have a critical role to play. Scapegoating, wielding a broad brush to tar—that stuff's easy to do. That's the political equivalent of instant gratification—Red Bull politicking: quick hit then a slump. I come back to the words delivered by a rabbi to me post Bondi: 'We choose our hard.' Jacinda Ardern chose her hard and showed the world how to build a better, cohesive, stronger nation in the aftermath of unimaginable grief. That's the task before us all—the hard and patient and vital work to bring people together at a time when Australians want and deserve calm, determined leadership from us all.”
“It's worth noting that not one Australian was required to prove their fidelity to the nation post Christchurch, when a white supremacist Australian slaughtered 51 New Zealanders. No practitioner of the Christian faith was asked to do likewise after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. And here's the thing: nor should they. It's a ridiculous and divisive notion, because we do not sheet home blame and responsibility to entire communities for the acts of extremist individuals. Surely we can agree. Surely we can rally around that compelling logic, because dividing people and shoving them into dark corners to nurse fear and grievance is not the way we build and sustain a strong nation. This is the crux of my call to parliament.”
“Disappointingly, those words are a far cry from the Scott Morrison of today, who wants to have practitioners of just one faith be singled out for registration and accreditation and for them to somehow prove their fidelity to our nation because the starting-point assumption is, 'Until you do this, you might be suspect, deficient, not to be trusted.' So much for the 2019 call for an Australian us that rejects the 'blame and contempt'. What's the end game here? Once imams are accredited and their loyalty proven, do we get them to wear armbands? Are we more relaxed with that—replicating a more abominable chapter of world history? Once we start down the path of uncomfortable truths, we need to know exactly where we're headed.”
“We should be appalled by all of these acts, not selectively concerned or occasionally responsive. Let me go to words expressed in this parliament to underscore that point. In April 2019, then prime minister Scott Morrison said: We must strive to see the 'us' in our national life and to celebrate it, an Australian 'us' of different faiths, of different ethnicities, of different ages, genders and sexualities, an Australian 'us' that rejects the hate, the blame and contempt that grip too much of modern debate. Those words are those I can stand by.”
“He opined: The West has probably been too nice for its own good … Perhaps he should have a chat about whether a Victorian imam and his wife thought it was nice that they were run off the road in Melbourne and attacked and had racist abuse and rubbish hurled at them. Or is it nice for Muslim Australian women to have their hijab torn off or be labelled, with an expletive, 'terrorists' or be spat at? Is it nice to see pigs' heads in Muslim sections of cemeteries or impaled on the fences of places of worship? Maybe we should refer to any of the work undertaken by Action Against Islamophobia or the Islamophobia Register that tracks examples of what 'nice' looks like to many Muslim Australians on a near daily basis. Antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism across the board—all these behaviours should not be tolerated, full stop.”
“That was under a coalition government, a move overseen by then minister for home affairs Peter Dutton, and former ministers of that government are now telling us to confront uncomfortable truths—members like the member for Canning, who previously declared it was 'time for the Australian Muslim leadership to systematically and clearly make the case that Islam is a religion of peace'. So let's be clear then: when some coalition MPs advise us to face uncomfortable truths, are the only truths we confront the ones conservatives find comfortable to confront? Not to be outdone, we had but last week coalition senator Andrew Bragg muse: … the Australian Muslim community has to take some responsibility for the behaviours we've seen exhibited over the last couple of decades.”
“She said: 'Right' is associated with conservatism in this country, and there are many people of conservative background who take exception to being tarred with the same brush. She went on to tell the director-general: So I think the time has come, Director-General, especially from you, to ensure that you are very careful with the terminology that you use … Labels sting, huh? Do we think we should be a bit more careful about how we throw labels around, or should we just 'face uncomfortable truths'? What happened after this was also instructive because, 12 months after that exchange, under a coalition government, ASIO determined it would no longer refer to right-wing extremism or Islamist terrorism. From that time forth, the terms 'religiously motivated' or 'ideologically motivated' terrorism would be used.”
“One person that has to do this on a daily basis is the person who heads ASIO, Mike Burgess. In February 2020, nearly a year after Christchurch, Mr Burgess highlighted the growth of right-wing extremism and the threat it poses to Australia. He warned how small cells of right-wing extremists were meeting across the country and saluting Nazi flags in homes nestled in our suburbs, where they hid weapons caches and trained in combat. A month later, one year after Christchurch, he appeared before Senate estimates, and what happened was instructive. He was grilled by coalition government senators who were not asking about what ASIO was doing about the threat but, rather, objecting to the label of 'right-wing extremist'. Let me quote then coalition senator Connie Fierravanti-Wells to Mr Burgess at Senate estimates.”
“I think it's important we reflect and contrast because, during the last parliamentary sitting, we heard a number of times from the coalition of the need to confront hard truths. In fact, the opposition leader made it a feature of her condolence motion, stating: To do so, we must face uncomfortable truths. Radical Islamist extremism caused this. I repeat: radical Islamist extremism caused this. After that, during condolence contributions and debates and via questions on notice, parliamentarians referred to 'radical Islamists', 'radical Islamist extremism', 'radical Islamist extremists', 'radical Islamist ideology' and even 'radical Islam' nearly 90 times. They didn't even blink associating 'radicalism' with an entire faith. Let's reflect and contrast. Let's, as the opposition leader invites us to do, 'face uncomfortable truths'.”
“Post Christchurch, then New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern was praised for doing whatever she could to comfort and rally New Zealanders. At a time of grief and mourning, she consoled while also being prepared to respond strongly to terror, including setting up a royal commission into the horrors of Christchurch. Notably, she did not beam herself in via Australian media to blame our nation for the terror that occurred on New Zealand soil. Prime Minister Ardern worked with then prime minister Morrison to set in place laws to prevent social media giants from live-streaming terrorist acts. The response to Christchurch is a salutary example of how societies traumatised by terror can and should rally, comfort and unite. But, since the terrible events of Bondi, I've often reflected on the contrast between 2025 and 2019.”
“When I recently stood on that footbridge at Bondi and looked at the park where Jewish Australians had been celebrating Hanukkah and were targeted for attack, I felt the exact chill I experienced visiting those two mosques in Christchurch. In both cases innocent people were hemmed in, and, with little room for them to escape, tragedy ensued. Again, I supported a royal commission into the events of Bondi because, as I have said before and restate now, whether it's an Islamist or a far-right extremist, anyone that poses a threat to the safety of our fellow Australians must be dealt with head-on using every resource we can muster. We must stand up to terrorism, but tough should join with calm—resisting threats while unifying.”
“Besides getting answers and clarity, it can also play an important role in healing and bringing us together. The growth of extremism needs to be confronted regardless of what corner it emerges from. I've been concerned about this for sometime, but it crystallised further in 2019—the year an Australian white supremacist travelled to Christchurch, New Zealand, and killed 51 people on the basis of their religion. That terrorist's acts against people of the Islamic faith was livestreamed over social media. His 74-page manifesto was later used to inspire attacks on a synagogue in Poway, California; a supermarket in El Paso, Texas; a mosque in Baerum, Norway; and another synagogue in Halle, Germany. This was a hateful cancer that spread.”