Wakeley Church Incident
Ms Cate Faehrmann: On behalf of The Greens I support the motion because we endorse the response of the paramedics and police on that night. It was a difficult night. But I put on the record the response of the Muslim community following this event. They have been concerned about the transparency and accountability of law enforcement. The statement that they issued on 26 April says:
On behalf of the Australian Muslim community, including peak organisations such as the Australian National Imams Council, the Alliance of Australian Muslims and the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network, we address the deeply troubling recent incidents and the subsequent responses by authorities.
The differing treatments of two recent violent incidents—the senseless stabbing deaths at Bondi Junction and the tragic event at Wakeley Church—are stark. The Bondi incident was quickly deemed a mental health issue, while the Wakeley Church attack was classified as a terrorist act almost immediately. This inconsistency is further exacerbated by the handling of a recent case where an individual left a suspected bomb with a political message outside a home, yet this has not been labelled terrorism. Such disparities in response create a perception of a double standard in law enforcement and judicial processes.
We must also address the problematic and longstanding issue of racial and religious profiling, which has been part of the societal fabric for decades.
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Furthermore, the recent raids resulting in the arrest of seven minors, coupled with advance media notifications, underscore a concerning pattern of questionable law enforcement tactics. Despite reports to the contrary, there was no consultation with the community prior to these operations. The lack of evidence pointing to a concrete threat or plan among these youths, as noted by senior police officials, calls into question both the necessity and the manner of these operations. This lack of transparency exacerbates the distress within our community.
We demand the Government and Law Enforcement agencies commit to an immediate and thorough inquiry into the processes leading up to these raids, ensuring transparency and accountability.
There is more to the statement, but I will say in the time remaining that as somebody who had a brother diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, who pulled a knife on someone at our school when he was 15, I think that the link between mental health issues such as paranoid schizophrenia and religious or spiritual delusions is strong. If an individual with mental health issues acts in this way, we have to be careful before labelling it terrorism.
Full text of the motion:
Hon. Mark Buttigieg moved:
(1) That this House acknowledges the trauma and suffering caused by the stabbing attacks at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley.
(2) That this House condemns the violence and destruction outside the church.
(3) That this House supports the response of police and paramedics, and thanks them for their bravery.
(4) That this House praises the religious leaders who called for calm and for people of different faiths to treat each other with compassion.
(5) That this House denounces all forms of violence and hate.