Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Youth Jam Radio Perth
October 7, 2024
Topics: Commemoration of October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel
Speakers: Issac Mulcrone, Senator Cash
Isaac Mulcrone
That song actually was from the Eurovision Song Contest, Israel’s entry. A beautiful song about the awful atrocity of October 7. Today, we’re talking a bit about that because it has been a year to the day since those awful attacks in southern Israel where 1200 people were killed by Hamas terrorists. And it’s a really awful time for the Australian Jewish community as they commemorate this awful atrocity, but also deal with a huge surge in anti-semitism. Joining us now is Senator Michaelia Cash, a WA, Liberal Senator, Senator, good afternoon. Thank you for your time.
Senator Cash
Good afternoon and fabulous to be with you.
Isaac Mulcrone
It’s lovely to have you. First of all, what is your piece of, I guess, wisdom and your words for the Australian Jewish community, who would be reeling today, a year on from October 7 last year,
Senator Cash
We stand with you. I mean, the last 12 months, I think, constitutes one of the most difficult periods for Jewish Australians in our nation’s history. And today, we pay our respects to the memories of the 1200 innocent people murdered on October the seventh. I mean the enemies of Israel and the peddlers of Jewish hate, they need to understand they will never win, and certainly the Coalition stands with our ally Israel, rather than treating her, unfortunately, like so many are doing as an adversary. And I’ve just left a function on the lawns of Parliament House where almost 2000 people stood together to show support for Israel, but in particular to pay our respects to the memories of the 1200 innocent people murdered on October the seventh, exactly one year ago today.
Issac Mulcrone
Absolutely and there’s been those kind of ceremonies across the country, including here in Perth. The one in Sydney, though, was at threat due to a pro Palestinian protest organized on October 7, of all days they choose to do it on that one. New South Wales Police were initially going to try and block that from happening but a last minute, bargain was made between the police force and the organizing group. I’ll be honest, I don’t think that today is the day to be protesting for Palestine and pro Hamas, in some cases not all. What do you make of the protest in Sydney that is taken to the streets today?
Senator Cash
Well, I would agree with you. I mean, what does today represent? It represents the biggest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. That’s a fact. That is what October the seventh is. It’s the anniversary of the terrorist attack in the kibbutz, the anniversary of where people were slaughtered at the Nova Music Festival. You would only be protesting the anniversary of the loss of that life if you were trying to be provocative or difficult. If you are marking the anniversary of the Holocaust, you know people would be absolutely outraged. So I think it is completely unacceptable that people would be using this opportunity to essentially compound the grief of people who have lost their lives. And as far as I’m concerned, and as far as the Coalition is concerned, and Peter Dutton himself has made this very, very clear, it is completely unacceptable. And I mean, Isaac, you need to ask the question, why would people actually want to do this? You know you should show greater sensitivity. There are other dates that you can do what you need to do. But people who are sympathizers to the terrorist organization Hamas in this country, quite frankly, as Peter Dutton himself has stated, they are at odds with the values of Australia and our rule of law.
Issac Mulcrone
Do you think that most people in this country understand that Hamas is a prescribed terrorist organization, as is Hezbollah? Do you think that people fully understand it when they go out with their flags?
Senator Cash
No, I actually don’t. Because if they did, they wouldn’t be doing this. And if they do understand that, and they are inciting violence on the basis of religion, well that is a crime, and they should be prosecuted. If they are publicly displaying the symbols of a listed terrorist organization well, that is a crime, and they should be prosecuted again. Hamas is an Islamist militant movement. It is one that violently rejects the existence of Israel. It was Hamas on October the seventh 2023 that attacked southern Israel and killed nearly 1200 people. They also took more than 200 people hostage. We have designated Hamas, as has dozens of countries, including the United States, as a listed terrorist organization. And so for anyone in Australia to stand with them, again, I have to echo the words of Peter Dutton, you are at odds with Australian values. You are at odds with our rule of law. It’s as simple as that.
Isaac Mulcrone
In terms of policing, because you briefly mentioned that just before. Surrounding the flags, there was a woman in the Perth CBD who was marching alongside other pro Palestine protesters, and she had a flag, a Palestinian flag, and in the middle, she had the picture of the leader of Hezbollah who was killed in the Israeli air strike a few weeks ago. She was spoken to, wasn’t arrested, although the police commissioner Col Blanch did promise before that rally that arrests would be made if anyone showed up with that kind of terrorist material. Should she have been arrested?
Senator Cash
It is the public display of symbols of a listed terror organization that is the crime. So in her case, had she been waving the Hezbollah flag, yes, she should be charged under section it’s 80.2 a, your listeners can Google it, of the Commonwealth Criminal Code. Any visitor, quite frankly, to our country waving a Hezbollah flag should have their visa immediately cancelled and be deported. But again, anyone who is openly out there standing with terrorist organizations, because that’s what Hamas is, that’s what Hezbollah is, they are terrorist organizations, as Peter Dutton said, and as I reiterate, you are at odds with our values as Australians. You are also at odds with our rule of law, and I just can’t agree with what you are doing? Israel has a right to defend itself. It is as simple as that.
Isaac Mulcrone
Yes, and I agree with that point. Can I ask you, though, do you think that they’ve gone a bit too far with the amount of people that have been killed in Gaza and also now in Lebanon? Do you think that they have gone too far, or are they still right, and are they still able to use the excuse for defending themselves?
Senator Cash
It’s not an excuse. They are defending themselves. It is as simple as that. An Islamist militant movement that has controlled the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, the Palestinians are under the control of Hamas. The Palestinians themselves will never be free until Hamas is obliterated. Hamas violently rejects the existence of Israel. It is Hamas, one year ago today that attacked southern Israel. It is Hamas that killed nearly 1200 people, and it is Hamas that took more than 200 hostages. And today, 12 months on, there are still hostages being held by Hamas. If Hamas wanted to do the right thing, it would immediately release those hostages. We continue to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. And people need to remember, if you want to compare the values of Hamas and Israel. Israel shares the same liberal democratic values as Australia and other Western countries. And on that basis, we affirm that Israel’s battle is a battle fought against the enemies of civilized people everywhere. People who are supporting what is going on with Hamas need to really ask themselves the question, what do you honestly think Hamas thinks of Australia, of our values and of our rule of law. Israel, on the other hand, they share the same Liberal democratic values as Australia, and that is why we stand with them. I would hardly say that people of Hamas would be standing with the people of Australia in terms of our values and our fundamental belief in the rule of law.
Isaac Mulcrone
And finally, in terms of the Prime Minister, the foreign minister, Penny Wong and I believe, the Prime Minister, the way they’ve acted since October seven, been very flippity-floppity, they’ve been all over the shop in their response to the way that Israel has conducted themselves, the way that Hamas is taking so many lives, and also the Hezbollah terrorist group. Do you think the way that the government here are responding to the incident, to the escalations in the Middle East? Is it the correct approach, or are they missing some fundamentals?
Senator Cash
Well, Mr. Albanese has shown he is anything but a leader. I mean, a full year on, you know, from the October 7 attack, and Mr. Albanese and his government have been all over the place, trying to be all things to all people, rather than showing the leadership, you know, and being consistent in its stand on Israel. I mean, you only need to look at the Albanese government’s voting record at the UN for factual evidence that they are completely out of step with the United States on Israel. I mean, the fact is that Australia, and Australians needed a leader, and Mr. Albanese, Penny, Wong, Richard Marles, they have failed us every step of the way. I mean, they have trashed decades of bipartisanship on a two state solution, and in doing so, they’ve put Australia at odds with our closest ally. So I think this was a real test of leadership for the Prime Minister of our country, and when Australians needed our prime minister to be a leader, he has failed us in every single aspect,
Isaac Mulcrone
In terms of that two state solution. Is that the way forward? Or what’s your thoughts on that? Because in my mind, if both parties in this case, don’t want it, then it will never actually work.
Senator Cash
Well again, our commitment, obviously, like so many of our allies, and one that has been the commitment of both parties of government here is bipartisanship on a two state solution. But at this point in time, Israel needs to be focused on defending itself, both from Hamas but also now from Hezbollah. Israel also needs to be focused on the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages, and as Australians, we need to be focused on ensuring that we do not foster as a society, you know, fear and division, which is going to undermine social cohesion, and, quite frankly, risks Australia’s domestic security.
Isaac Mulcrone
Senator Michaelia Cash thank you very much.
Senator Cash
It’s great to be with you again
ENDS
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