Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026

Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (08:00): on indulgence—A majority of the House of Representatives and the Senate has united to take this action. I thank all members and senators who voted for the legislation, but I also thank all members and senators who participated in the process. These laws tackle both the motive and the method of the violent, antisemitic terrorist attack that cruelly stole 15 innocent lives on 14 December 2025.

This was an abhorrent attack targeted at Jewish Australians, inspired by ISIS and carried out by a father and son in a way in which it is difficult to comprehend or understand how that could possibly be seen as a way of advancing any cause. But it was also, of course, an assault on all Australians, because we value our way of life here. It's a way of life in which the Australian covenant is that if you have hate or prejudice from your background, your country of origin, you leave it in the customs hall when you arrive here.

And you respect the fact that we are a multicultural nation where people have come—including, of course, large numbers of Jewish Australians after the Holocaust, who came to a place of harmony, of peace and of respect for each other for who we are. What we've legislated isn't everything that the government wanted, but it is certainly an advance forward. It also is not the end of what we all need to do to stamp out antisemitism, extremism and hate in our nation.

Any of us who look at, for one second, any of the comments in our social media feeds can see just how prevalent hatred, extremism and intolerance are. We all need to do better as a parliament as well in the way that that happens. We must seek to unite our nation to show that we are stronger together, helping our nation heal and countering hatred in all of its forms.

Tomorrow we'll come together in a national day of mourning. I've engaged with the spiritual leader of the Chabad community, Rabbi Ulman of the Bondi Chabad, and his community about that process. It will be a solemn occasion.

It will be respectful. It will be conducted not just as formal proceedings but in a way that gives Australians the opportunity to put a candle on their windowsill or at the front of their home—just like Australians did on the night of 21 December, the last night of Hanukkah. There will also be an opportunity for all Australians to observe a minute of silence at 7.01 pm.

There will be illuminations in every capital city and in all government buildings here. We ask that not just government but also private sector flags fly at half-mast tomorrow as a sign of respect. The theme that has been suggested and adopted by Rabbi Ulman is 'Light will win, a gathering of unity and remembrance'.

Let's see this as an opportunity for us to unite as a nation, to come together and grieve with our Jewish Australian community and to reaffirm that in this great country of ours, whatever issues we confront, there's still no other country you'd rather be in. That's the nature of our great nation. Light will triumph over darkness.

I thank the House—and I thank the Senate as well—for the adoption of these laws.