Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Middle East conflict

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:58): (1267) My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Premier, and the action that I seek is for the Labor government to condemn the recent words of former Premier Daniel Andrews with regard to LGBTQIA+ pro-Palestine protesters. As a queer person I am disgusted by the assertion that queer people should not be standing against the violence being inflicted upon Palestinian civilians. Being a member of a marginalised community does not rob me of my empathy. It does not rob me of my humanity. If anything, it makes me more empathetic to victims of violence. Recently the former Premier Daniel Andrews said, ‘Try wearing that rainbow T-shirt in Gaza and see how that works out for you,’ a sentiment echoed by others in this place, I will add, some to my very face. To anyone who dares to belittle a queer person for standing in solidarity with Palestine I would like to state the obvious: the state of Israel is bombing homes, bombing hospitals and bombing schools right now, and many of those being killed are queer Palestinians. These civilians are dying together as Palestinians because Israeli bombs do not differentiate by LGBTQIA+ status. It is not for Daniel Andrews to speak on behalf of me and my community and tell us who we should stand in solidarity with. I stand in solidarity with the innocent families whose lives are being torn apart by crimes perpetrated by this Israeli government.

I stand in solidarity with the queer rights movement in the Middle East and with the queer people whose lives have been torn apart by this violence. Queer liberation cannot be achieved while people are suffering a genocide. The queer rights movement will always stand with peace and nonviolence and should never be appropriated to justify war crimes. The pro-Palestine movement is a place welcoming of anyone standing against genocide and for anyone who understands that civilians always pay the highest price in war. The Greens will always stand for peace and nonviolence, and while these comments were made by the former Premier, the actions of the current Labor government have made it clear it plans to continue his legacy.