Remarks - Melbourne

Transcript
Melbourne
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
The Hon Anthony Albanese MP
Prime Minister of Australia

JOSH BURNS, MEMBER FOR MACNAMARA: Right here, at Adass Israel, we saw a terror attack in the heart of our Jewish community. We've just been inside with the Prime Minister and the congregation, and I just want to say how amazed I am with the bravery and the stoicism and the proud Yiddishkeit that's being displayed by the Adass Israel congregation, showing the strength and the resilience to come together and support one another. And I want to thank them for their kindness and the warmth and the optimism that they have brought today. I want to hand over to my good friend Benjamin Klein, who's a board member at Adass, to say a few words, and then the Prime Minister will say a few words.

BENJAMIN KLEIN, ADASS ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE BOARD MEMBER: Thank you, Josh. On behalf of the community Adass Israel, we're very grateful the Prime Minister made the effort, the trip to come see us today. It's amazing to see the Prime Minister standing with us and we're very grateful. And again, once again, thank you very, very much, Mr Prime Minister.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. Well, I'm very proud as Prime Minister on behalf of the Australian people to stand with Adass Israel, this community, here today. This arson attack is an act of terrorism. It was fuelled by antisemitism and it was stoked by hatred. We're a country that needs to come together and unite. One of the things that we spoke about inside with the community leaders was the fact that people have come to Australia because we are a country that is peaceful. We are a country that respect people of different faith and are enriched by our diversity here. And I want to thank the Rabbi and all the community leaders for the very warm welcome that they have given me here today. And I want to thank Josh for his leadership as the local MP here.

I also want to commit, on behalf of my Government that I lead, into doing what we need to do to restore this synagogue, including providing whatever support is necessary financially to make sure that those who perpetrated this evil crime do not receive any benefit and indeed get the message that Australia is not a country that will tolerate such an act, that we’ll continue to unite as a country. I'm going to now meet with the community leaders to discuss practical steps forward. But I thank them for the welcome here today.