Motions

LGBTIQ Community

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. G.A. Kandelaars:

That this council—

1. Expresses its heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the recent horrific mass shooting in Orlando, Florida; and

2. Stands together with the LGBTIQ community around the world to condemn such a senseless act of violence and denounce all forms of discrimination that may contribute to such hatred.

(Continued from 22 June 2016.)

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (17:01): I rise to support the motion introduced by the Hon. Mr Kandelaars. Whilst I might quibble with some of the wording that the honourable member has chosen to use in his motion, I think the substantive issue is one that is of a such serious nature that it really seems trivial to argue about the choice of words. We support the motion, and we support it wholeheartedly.

The Orlando shooting shocked and horrified millions around the world. It was the action of a gunman, by the name of Omar Mateen, that was sickening and evil. It has been described as the deadliest terrorist attack since 9/11 on American soil. Regardless of how it is described, it is an act of mass murder and is reprehensible. Regardless of who the victims were, murder is immoral and there is no justification for taking someone's life. I express my sincerest condolences to the friends and family of the victims and others affected by this grave tragedy.

Whilst I support the motion, I do believe that it ignores one of the fundamental, if not the fundamental, reason for this event. From his actions, it is abundantly clear that the gunman was responsible for the event and he was doing so under the basis of Islamic terrorism. According to transcripts released by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, Omar Mateen identified himself as a soldier who pledged allegiance to Islamic State. It is reported that during calls that he made to the emergency services, Mateen praised—specifically using the Islamic word for God, his God Allah—whilst carrying out his acts of evil. It is without doubt that the root of Mateen's evil derived from the Islamic State and the motivation that it gave him, as the gunman reportedly demanded an end to the bombing of ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

Further, adding to our understanding of Omar Mateen's state of mind, Mateen's former wife recently described him as a person who was mentally unhinged and one who would often violently abuse and isolate her. Clearly, this man was disturbed on a number of levels and was inspired by an evil ideology. The tragedy has highlighted many issues we face in our society today. The Orlando shooting reignited the debate on gun control in the US and reminded us of evil that is the Islamic State. The event shocked the world and put on notice the domestic threat from those within our society who do not wish to conform but rather inflict harm in the name of Islam, political ideal or other excuses.

I also respond to the comments made regarding the research I have quoted from the American College of Pediatricians. The Hon. Mr Kandelaars sought to discredit the ACP's point of view. Indeed, the ACP are not the peak representative body of paediatrics in the US—and I never indicated that they were—however, the fact remains that the ACP does represent a group of qualified paediatricians. To enable a balanced and fair debate, different points of view and, in this case, the views of the ACP must not be dismissed.

No argument is won by attacking the character, motive or other attributes of the individuals making certain positions, or in this case a body, the ACP, making the argument that they made, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself. These people are trained and qualified paediatricians whose views are as valid as any other paediatricians. After all, they went to the same universities, studied the same courses and no doubt wrote very similar papers and read similar papers over the years. That is somewhat of a distraction, but it is important that that is clarified for the record.

In closing, I indicate support for this motion. The Orlando shooting and the actions of this gunman should rightfully be condemned in the harshest terms. However, the victims should be the ones who should be remembered. My thoughts and prayers are with the United States, the Orlando, Florida community and those affected by this deeply tragic event. It was a despicable act directed against innocent unarmed civilians in the name of Islam. It is unacceptable at every level. My greatest fear is that it will not be the last even of its type that we will see, most unfortunately.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. G.A. Kandelaars.