Ms BURNET (Clark) – Honourable Speaker, last week I was on an extremely full bus. I was going into town and across the crowd I could see a school student who I recognised. She’s a year 11 student who I’d seen at various rallies for Palestine and I had a little chat with her when we when the bus cleared. The passengers were getting off and I asked her ‑ because I know how much this means to her ‑ what she would like to see in relation to the war in Palestine, and she said, ‘I just want an end to the occupation.’
There are many groups, and Dr Woodruff has already spoken about the March for Gaza which occurred on 24 August, and many of us were there, along with at least 4000 Tasmanians. It was a strong show of support for those in Palestine and people have been rallying since October 2023 in support of the people in the Gaza Strip and groups, like the Tasmanian Palestinian Activist Network and the Friends of Palestine, Tasmania have worked tirelessly to ensure that we do not avert our eyes from the genocide that has been steadily increasing in intensity and depravity.
When I reflect on it, we’ve had so many very full debates today. We’ve heard the Attorney‑General’s sentencing amendment and the debate there and it’s all about justice, and justice in the notice of motion in relation to anti racism. It’s around justice and I believe Tasmanians feel that very deeply. At the rally on 24 August there was a strong component from the Palawa who were talking about justice, occupation and invasion. It’s probably no wonder that Tasmanians care deeply about these injustices because they have seen them on our shores.
Australia’s response to the assault of Gaza and Gazans has been very slow. It’s too reticent and Australia’s federal politicians are too afraid of political consequences to take meaningful action thus far. Collective inaction eventually becomes complicity. We need to ensure that our government does act and take greater steps than it has. There are so many deaths, and Dr Woodruff has touched on those. We see children, doctors and journalists, we see women and children killed without this stopping. We are seeing a complete lack of respect for international law.
Getting back to the local situation, next week at the Moonah Arts Centre, Greens Senator Nick McKim and the Leader of the Greens, alongside the Tasmanian Palestinian Activist Network, will host a screening of Palestinians Don’t Need Sidewalks, a powerful documentary that shares on-the-ground stories of life under occupation in Palestine, and the strength of those resisting apartheid and genocide. I encourage anyone who’s able to go along and show your support. This is a defining moment, and our actions or inactions will have consequences.
