Unity our greatest strength

Australians are stronger when we work together.

We see that during fires, floods and moments of human tragedy.

Right now, events in our world risk tearing our people apart.

The reality of terror and of war has always been horrific. Now in 2023 the images of the Hamas-Israel conflict confront us on our televisions, inboxes and phone screens.

More than ever, we must remind ourselves of Australia's fundamental strength.

The cohesion of our multicultural society is our greatest national asset.

This asset is something we all build.

Generations of Australians from all over the globe have given us this very precious gift. They worked across languages, cultures and faiths to build the country we love today.

The gifts of previous generations enrich every corner of our community.

A walk through any street of Perth will remind you of this.

And everyone, from politicians to people attending protests, needs to play their part in protecting it.

That means being considerate in what we say to our friends, colleagues and what we choose to post and share online.

It means pausing to consider your fellow citizens during this time.

In doing so, you are supporting a safer community.

Our intelligence agencies have made it extremely clear that they see a direct relationship between language and violence.

I accept my role as a political leader to choose my words and actions carefully.

Everyone in a leadership role must also accept this responsibility.

To build national unity, not amplify or create division.

To stand with people, not against them.

I stand with the Jewish community in my electorate in rejecting Hamas' terror, just as I stood with the Muslim community outside Northbridge Mosque following the Christchurch murders.

No Australian should experience terror or hate as a price of their faith.

I understand that there are individuals and families in Australia who are personally affected by this conflict, and I understand how deeply this is felt.

But there is no place for anti-Semitism.

Just as there is no place for Islamophobia.

Simply put, we all have a responsibility to reject hate.

I don't know why anyone would want to live in a State where we didn't.

Despite this, we must take the threats we face seriously.

The Government continues to monitor the domestic security situation closely.

We will always do whatever is necessary to keep people safe.

Again, every West Australian has a role to play.

If people are feeling threatened, I urge you to contact triple-0 or the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.

Australia has consistently called for the protection of all civilians involved in this conflict.

We see this as a necessary step towards a sustainable ceasefire, which we know cannot be one-sided.

Australia has been working with countries that have influence in the region to help protect and support civilians, to help prevent conflict from spreading, and to reinforce the need for a just and enduring peace.

The Government has committed to supporting Australian communities affected by the Hamas attacks on Israel and ongoing conflict.

One measure is $25 million to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and $25 million to Australian Palestinian, Muslim and other communities affected by the conflict.

This is to address the immediate and longer-term impacts being felt across communities.

Another step is to promote resilience and respect across the Australian community.

It is also the actions of people that can be an investment in the cohesion of our multicultural society. An asset which we all own and we all build.

Bringing Australians together has always been how we achieve our goals as a nation.

Reminding ourselves of this truth has never been more important.

Patrick Gorman is the Federal Member for Perth, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Assistant Minister for the Public Service.