Dr WOODRUFF (Franklin – Leader of the Greens) – Thank you, Madam Speaker. Since the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas on Israelis citizens on 7 October 2023, the Greens have been closely following the unfolding genocide enacted by the state of Israel against innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza. We have been watching with horror and shock the violence and the mass arrests that have been happening across Gaza and in the West Bank. We stand in support with the rallies and the student encampments that have erupted around the globe, and particularly those that are occurring today in Australia and especially here in our state of Tasmania at the University of Tasmania. Those encampments are being held to call for an end to this genocide.
I recognise the Tasmanian Palestinian Advocacy Network, who have been holding weekly rallies since October last year. There is a huge outpouring of community concern in Australia, people are horrified at the failure to act strongly enough by the Australian Government, the involvement of the Australian Government in defence spending that supports the state of Israel, and the truly horrific situation where humanitarian aid is not available to defenceless and peaceful people in Gaza.
The student‑led encampment in UTAS is about holding the space, maintaining a 24 hour a day presence, singing in solidarity with the people of Gaza and Palestinian people. They have been holding communal dinners, they have been holding information gatherings, they have had people dropping in and providing meals, people who are camping there every night, they maintain a 24 hour a day presence.
In particular, the Greens stand with the collection of University of Tasmania students, staff, and alumni, who have written a letter of demands to the UTAS Chancellors, the Vice Chancellor, the University Executive Team, and the University Council. Those demands are to condemn, with great sorrow on behalf of the people of Gaza, the following:
- The brutal military tactics used by the Israeli Defence Forces.
- The killing of, at the time of this report, almost 40,000 Palestinians, 70 per cent of whom are women and children.
- The killing of hundreds of healthcare workers, aid workers and journalists.
- The destruction of public infrastructure, including hospitals while patients and doctors are in them, schools, refugee camps and, of course, universities. It has been reported that there are no universities left in Gaza.
These acts are made possible, in part, by funding from the Australian Government, Australian companies and other institutions, including universities. The encampment at UTAS is calling for the following actions to be taken by the university, and we stand with them in this call:
- To release a statement calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
- To divest from partnerships with Israeli institutions.
- To demilitarise current and future funding arrangements.
- To maintain transparency by disclosing all funding and decision-making information.
- To join the global academic boycotts against Israel by severing and rejecting ties with Israeli universities.
This week, the United Nations General Assembly will take a vote on Palestinian statehood, and the Greens believe Australia must take this moment to recognise Palestinian self-determination. For decades the state of Israel has prevented the realisation of Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, violating each component of that right, wilfully pursuing the de-Palestinianisation of the Occupied Territories and the exploitation of Palestinian people’s resources. For this same amount of time, both Liberal and Labor governments have refused to take meaningful action to stop these human rights abuses. In 2012, the Labor government actively helped scuttle Palestinian statehood by abstaining in a similar vote. We cannot let the mistakes of the past repeat themselves.
The university students here in Tasmania are demanding that Australia do what it can to support a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis. The Greens will continue to take action to end the occupation of Palestine, to have a permanent ceasefire and to stop military exports from Australia to the state of Israel.
We also continue to thank and stand with the university encampments, especially the one in Tasmania, until action is taken. We are deeply grateful for the people who are, night and day, including in the increasingly cold weather and rain, standing up in a peaceful and respectful way to make the point that the people of Australia, the people of Tasmania, do not support the genocide unfolding against peaceful civilians in Gaza today.
Members – Hear, hear.
