STAND TOGETHER NOT DIVIDED

Over the past few days, public commentary from some political leaders about Muslim Australians has sparked significant debate—most recently in the wake of a violent attack on the Australian Jewish community. That attack was reprehensible, unacceptable, and a stark reminder that hatred and violence have no place in our society.

We must be unequivocal: antisemitism has no place in Australia. Jewish Australians deserve to feel safe, valued, and protected under the full weight of the law. Any act of violence or intimidation directed at them is an attack on the very fabric of our nation.

At the same time, responding to one act of violence with broad-brush generalisations about another entire faith community does not strengthen security or social cohesion. When commentary shifts from condemning specific acts of extremism to framing millions of people through the lens of suspicion, it risks deepening division rather than resolving it.

Muslim Australians—like Jewish Australians, Christian Australians, Hindu Australians, Sikh Australians and people of no faith—are part of the everyday fabric of this country. They are small business owners, healthcare workers, teachers, defence personnel, public servants and volunteers. They raise families, pay taxes and contribute quietly and consistently to Australia’s prosperity.

We can confront antisemitism decisively. We can confront extremism wherever it arises. And we can do so without casting collective blame.

Leadership in moments like this requires clarity and precision. It requires us to condemn behaviour, not identity. It requires us to uphold the rule of law firmly and fairly, while reinforcing the shared civic values that bind us together: equality before the law, mutual respect, and individual accountability.

Australia’s diversity is not a weakness—it is one of our enduring strengths. Our challenge is not to retreat into suspicion, but to lean into unity with maturity and resolve.

I welcome respectful perspectives on this. How do we protect communities from hate while safeguarding social cohesion? What does responsible leadership look like during times of tension?

Open dialogue, grounded in respect, is how we move forward.

#StrongerTogether #SocialCohesion #MutualRespect #NationalUnity #MulticulturalAustralia #ResponsibleLeadership