Tuesday, 28 November 2023

 Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (13:53): Last week the Melbourne Holocaust Museum was officially reopened by the Prime Minister – a brand new building, new exhibits and memorials but the same mission –

Georgie Crozier: Were you there?

Ryan BATCHELOR: yes – as when the museum was first opened nearly 40 years ago: to remember those who died in the Holocaust and prevent it from ever happening again. Melbourne is home to the largest number of Holocaust survivors per capita outside of Israel, and the new museum is a reminder about the most horrific act in human history. Six million Jews died in the Holocaust and every one had a name. The museum houses more than 1500 survivor testimonies and 20,000 artefacts to remember them all. The museum also reminds us that the Holocaust did not begin with killing, it began with words – words that dehumanised and degraded and dismissed Jews, which is why our collective stance against antisemitism must remain clear and vocal.

The Labor government has recently provided an additional $750,000 to the Melbourne Holocaust Museum for more antisemitism education. At the reopening I had the honour of meeting Abe Goldberg, a 99-year-old Holocaust survivor who still talks with schoolchildren visiting the museum about his experiences, including at Auschwitz, where his mother was gassed to death. Abe told us last week, ‘Let us be the voice of reason in these troubled times and stand up against antisemitism and racism wherever it raises its ugly head.’ Let us all heed Abe’s words.