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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
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Motions

Sri Lanka Terrorist Attacks

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (11:02): I move:

That this house—

(a) expresses its deepest sorrow and abhorrence at the senseless killing of innocent men, women and children in coordinated terrorist bombings at Christian churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday 2019;

(b) mourns the extensive loss of life, including two Australians, and hopes for a full recovery of the many injured;

(c) expresses its deepest sympathy to the families and friends of all those who have been affected by this appalling event;

(d) stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka and South Australia's Sri Lankan community;

(e) condemns terrorism and extremism in all its forms; and

(f) reaffirms its commitment to an inclusive and harmonious multicultural society.

Just six weeks ago, this house adopted a motion in very similar terms to the one I have just moved following the horrific terrorist attack in Christchurch. These two appalling events have some terrible, tragic similarities: men, women and children murdered as they arrived for prayers; innocent people going about their lives in peace only to be senselessly struck down in calculated, coordinated carnage, victims of violent extremists driven and demented by mindless hatred.

These two events may constitute tit-for-tat terrorism, the second claimed by its evil perpetrators as revenge for the first, making such despicable deeds even more deeply repugnant. The whole world has reached out to Colombo, as it did to Christchurch, as this house now does, to show again that we will not be wedged by the terrorists, that we stand in solidarity with the citizens of Sri Lanka, as we did with those in our sister city, to offer what we can to aid their recovery as we honour their resilience. Last week, The Advertiser quoted these words of an office worker in Colombo:

We have seen so much violence during the Civil War. For the outside world it may be big. But for us, life goes on.

It is terrible to think that, just to survive, some places in the world and their citizens have to become almost immune to the consequences of the most vicious violence imaginable. On behalf of this office worker in Colombo, the rest of the world has to show that we stand united with him and with fellow Sri Lankans in resistance to terrorism, in the rejection of any form of politically or religiously motivated violence, that we bind together, just as we did after Christchurch, sharing sorrow, just as the world also has following the devastating fire of Notre Dame, showing the power of unity, the triumph of determination over despair.

Earlier today, I met with the Sri Lankan honorary consul in South Australia, Dr Charitha Perera, who is with us here today in the gallery, together with Mr Prabath Perera, the former chair of the Sri Lankan Catholic Association of South Australia. We welcome them to this parliament. I have offered our Sri Lankan community our prayers and our support.

This was demonstrated very practically on Sunday night at St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, when a mass was held and attended by the range of senior South Australians and the Sri Lankan community of our state. I think almost 900 people were present in the cathedral. This mass was attended by His Excellency the Hon. Hieu Van Le, Governor of South Australia, the Leader of the Opposition, many members of parliament, many members of the consular corps in South Australia and faith leaders across our state.

I would particularly like to commend the words offered by Father Philip Marshall in his homily, which really provided an excellent overview of the issues and the response that we should all have here in South Australia and, indeed, around the world. As I said, this mass was extraordinarily well attended. There were many speakers who came from not only the Sri Lankan and Catholic community but also from the Buddhist community and the Islamic community, and I think that it was a great demonstration of our wonderful multiculturalism in South Australia coming together in that wonderful mass to celebrate diversity and tolerance.

The last census reported that almost 3,800 Sri Lankan-born people are living in South Australia. This represents an increase of almost 42 per cent in just five years. Our growing Sri Lankan community includes many highly skilled people—doctors, engineers and accountants in particular. They brought not only their skills but their culture, customs and identity to enrich the South Australian community. Our Sri Lankan citizens come from an island nation that has experienced terrorism before, as it lived through almost three decades of a civil war, which only ended in 2009.

Since this time, Sri Lanka has recovered and rebuilt during a decade of hard-won peace, a period when tourism in this beautiful country has boomed, when foreign investment has picked up and the economy has accelerated, giving Sri Lankans a new sense of self-confidence and encouraging international confidence in their nation. The events of last week are a tragic setback to all this progress over the past 10 years, but the international community must ensure that the setback is not permanent, that Sri Lanka is supported in this time of great need and is able to recover as quickly as possible so that terrorists are never the winners.

Australia lies in the middle of a direct flight path between Christchurch and Sri Lanka. We must not be complacent and believe that what happened in Colombo last week and Christchurch last month cannot happen here. All civilised people of all faiths and of no faith must confront and condemn such barbarity. Racism and religious intolerance are abhorrent. Terrorism, their most evil manifestation, places no value on human life. As the attacks on peaceful, innocent people in Colombo and Christchurch during the past six weeks confirm, we must conquer this evil, this hate.

With this motion, we focus on tolerance, on respect and on our multicultural and inclusive society in which our Sri Lankan-born community is welcomed and valued for its wonderful contribution to our state. I have been informed this morning by Dr Perera that there is a fundraising effort here in South Australia to aid the people of Sri Lanka most affected by the tragic events. There will be a fundraising event, about which we will be informed, in the coming weeks. I commend this effort to all members of this house, and I encourage every person, where they can, to actively support this important work. I commend the motion to the house.

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (11:10): Mr Speaker, allow me to second the motion and thank the Premier for his heartfelt words regarding this tragic event. Our hearts are saddened by the recent events in the island nation of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan families now living in South Australia are sincerely aghast at the actions that have taken 359 lives in the most horrific way.

CCTV footage has shown the shocking impact of the bombings of churches and hotels, including the obscene, contradictory behaviour of one suicide bomber, who patted a child's head before entering a church and detonating his backpack. We heard in the news reports that followed that these were not the actions of fringe-dwelling misfits but, rather, the considered actions of middle-class, educated people who have chosen a path that literally defies logic. To those local families with friends and relatives back home, who are feeling the pain and loss from those killed and injured, we share your thoughts and feelings.

Many members of the South Australian Sri Lankan community have connections back to international cooperation agreements of the 1950s, embodied in the international cooperation agreements known as the Colombo Plan. South Australia's education institutions were key players in that plan, providing education services to scholarship holders from what was then known as a different independent nation. The plan was the beginning of international education plans that underpin similar arrangements at our universities. Even today, the University of South Australia and Flinders and Adelaide universities have ongoing outward and inward commitments to education cooperation with Sri Lanka under the new Colombo Plan.

As a long-time close friend of Sri Lanka, we are heartbroken by the attacks of Easter Sunday. We will continue helping Sri Lanka as it emerges from this crisis stronger and more confident that its values are worth holding on to. The island nation is home to many cultures, languages and ethnicities. The targeting of minority Christians has been condemned by the country's other religious groups—and we stand with them.

The emergence of mass terrorism since September 11, 2001, has resulted in two decades of tragedies, each reaching into our local community. We lost many Australians in New York, London, Bali, France and, now, Sri Lanka. As recent events in Christchurch and Colombo have shown, and as the Premier said, no city is safe. Sri Lanka has enjoyed a prolonged calm following the end of the civil war in 2009, so much so that, this year, travel guide publisher Lonely Planet named it one of the best places in the world to visit. South Australia enjoys similar plaudits. Christchurch, our sister city, enjoyed a similar reputation.

However, our peace can be shattered in an instant. It is important, therefore, to learn the lessons of recent events and be ever vigilant against radicalism, extremism and terrorism. We must continue to promote diversity, tolerance and understanding. If we rail against one group or another, we undermine the cooperative gains made under the Colombo plans. If we rail against one group or another, we provide comfort to extremists. If we rail against one group or another, we lose the chance to build stronger communities.

Compassion and tolerance are our weapons, not guns and bombs. We grieve for Sri Lanka and, today, we stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka and South Australia's Sri Lankan community. As the Premier alluded to, tragically this is not the first time we have dealt with a condolence motion of this nature this year. I sincerely hope that this is the last condolence motion that we deal with in this parliament of such a nature. Of course, there are no guarantees that will be the case, but we can remain hopeful.

The Premier referred to an appropriate and poignant mass on Sunday night that I was able to attend with him. It always fills one with confidence and hope, and indeed pride, when one sees people from a range of different cultural and religious backgrounds coming together in solidarity with one another with a mission of celebrating diversity and tolerance.

Sunday night gives us hope, not that this will be the last of such attacks, but hope that we will always triumph over evil. Love always trumps hate. Hope is always superior to despair. Wherever one of these attacks occurs, the perpetrators should know this: they will not succeed. Their mission will never be justified. We will always stand together, across an aisle, across faiths, across cultures, to ensure that this world is a peaceful one where everybody can enjoy a happy and prosperous life.

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (11:16): Here in parliament today I also take the opportunity to commend the Premier for moving this motion and to express my deepest sorrow and abhorrence at the senseless killing of innocent men, women and children in coordinated terrorist bombings at Christian churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday in 2019.

These terrorist attacks consisted of six coordinated bomb blasts, including at Christian churches in the east and west of the country and also a church in the country's capital, Colombo. Three luxury hotels in Colombo were also targeted. The blasts were timed for Easter Sunday, one of the most important days on the Christian calendar, when churches would be full of worshippers. The almost simultaneous blasts left no time to warn other churchgoers.

The other three bombings were at hotels in the country's economic capital, Colombo, where the targets were a mix of businesspeople, wealthy locals and tourists, including Western tourists, which would lead to a large amount of international media coverage for the terrorists. In fact, the alleged ringleader blew himself up at one of the hotels, killing dozens of tourists as they ate breakfast in a cafe overlooking the waterfront. The attacks left more than 250 people dead and at least 500 wounded. It was the deadliest attack in the island nation since the end of the deadly civil war in 2009.

Today, this parliament mourns the extensive loss of life, including two Australians, and hopes for the full recovery of the many injured. Sri Lanka's government says that the attacks were carried out by a radical national Islamic group. These were acts of pure evil. For example, one of the attacks took place at the Zion Evangelical Church in the city of Batticaloa in the east of Sri Lanka where children gathered for Sunday school on Easter Sunday. Afterwards, the children went outside onto the church grounds to play, as kids do, happy and enjoying the sun. One of the terrorists, who had attempted to get into the church itself but failed, walked among this group of happy children and blew himself up. Twelve children were killed, along with their teachers.

For these terrorists, there is no moral code or human impulse which might otherwise spare innocent children from the atrocities that these radicalised minds seek to dispense. It is increasingly across the world in other terrorist attacks as well that the targets of their extremist terrorism seem to be women and children, with the principal aim being to kill as many people as possible. They are nothing more than barbaric acts based on race and religion, which dehumanise people, which our society must fight against.

This parliament, again, condemns this extremism and the terrorism which results. This community condemnation has an important role to play in not accepting extremist behaviour that leads to terrorist acts. Out of these attacks, many emotions spring to mind and are no doubt different for each one of us. Some of these raw emotions are fear, anger and sorrow: fear of copycat attacks and fear of reprisals. Around the world we have seen Christians, Jews, Muslims—people just like us who have families, who love and come together to enjoy sport, holiday and to pray—all destroyed by terrorism.

In March, the Premier spoke about the Al Noor and Linwood mosques in Christchurch and an extremist terrorist motivated by hate who walked into the Christchurch mosques and massacred innocent men, women and children, leaving many others injured and ripping families and friends apart. These mosques in New Zealand and the churches in Sri Lanka were easily accessible from the street for worshippers attending prayers. Similar scenes occur in Australia on Fridays and Sundays as congregations worship peacefully in mosques and churches, which are, again, easily accessible and welcoming. These events do instil fear, but we need to overcome this fear and continue our way of life. At the same time, as a community we must be vigilant and alert to strange behaviours.

Anger is another emotion that springs to mind, and this is where the community must be careful not to turn against each other, for in so doing it is exactly what the extremists hope for: dividing communities and inciting violence against each other. At times like these, it is more important than ever that parents spend time with their children, or grandparents with their grandchildren, firstly to reassure them but also to seek out family involvement so that people do not become isolated at a time when social media and the internet are used by extremists to amplify their voices and creep into the minds of the isolated and disenfranchised. Susceptible people looking for a sense of identity and self-worth are preyed upon by these extremists, who give them a warped version of it.

In an interview with a Sri Lankan man in the aftermath of the attacks, he said that one of his fears was that if educated children of seemingly wealthy parents could be radicalised to commit such barbarous acts then this radicalisation could happen to his children as well. This is where the family unit becomes so important in providing a guard against this but also for the wider community to call out extremist behaviour. In these tragic times, the importance of family is always brought to mind and brings about feelings of sorrow. We mourn the tragic loss of life and extend our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of all those affected by this appalling event.

This time of year is usually a time of celebration in Sri Lanka. At the start of April, I was invited by the South Australian Sri Lankan community to attend their new year celebrations, organised by Dr Sarath Senadeera, President of the Adelaide Sri Lankan Buddhist Vihara society. At this time, Sri Lankans celebrate the new year, when the sun transits from the constellation of Pisces to Aries, which occurs around mid-April. It is the time in Sri Lanka when the paddy harvest is taken into the houses and the whole country comes together to celebrate this event. It is a colourful time that brings the whole family together to mark the end of the current year and to look forward to the year ahead.

During the transition of the sun, the Sri Lankan people stop all work and visit their local temples. When the new year dawns, the families cook food that the whole family eats at the same time, and then they begin work again. Part of the tradition is to respect adults, enjoy feasts and participate in games within the community. The celebrations in South Australia showcased those feelings by traditional dances, which were warm and friendly.

As the Premier said, the Sri Lankan community in South Australia is a young community with nearly two-thirds being families with children. The Sri Lankan community is also a well-educated community, with many having come to South Australia as skilled migrants, while many others are studying at TAFE. Many have become very active in the life of the South Australian community. We stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka and South Australia's Sri Lankan community.

This was particularly evident when, last Sunday, the Sri Lankan Catholic Association of South Australia held a memorial service at St Francis Xavier's Cathedral in Adelaide. It was attended by the Governor, His Excellency Hieu Van Le, the Premier and many members of this parliament, the Sri Lankan Catholic Association, the wider Catholic community and the wider South Australian community of multiple faiths and ethnicity. The Sri Lankan honorary consul was also in attendance, and he said at the time that he happened to be in Colombo on the day of the attacks and experienced the devastation they caused.

On arrival at the church, many people lit a candle as a mark of respect for all the victims and their families. I spoke with a couple who had moved to Australia from Sri Lanka seven years ago, and they knew friends whose loved ones were caught up in the attacks. Father Philip Marshall led the service and spoke of the need for elders to be present to guide impressionable minds. He said that the people present at the memorial demonstrated the condemnation of these terrorist acts and the greater desire for peace—not a peace that comes after war and atrocity but an inclusive peace where people can live together and respect each other's differences.

There were also people present from other faiths, including members of the Buddhist community and imams from Adelaide's mosques. Professor Mohamad Abdalla spoke of going over to Christchurch after the recent terrorist attacks there and seeing the pain of the families affected and so could imagine that same pain being experienced by families in Sri Lanka.

The memorial service itself sent a clear message to those present and the wider community in South Australia that the government, the parliament and the people of South Australia condemn extremism and terrorism and stand together with the Sri Lankan community and the wider Christian community. Today is a chance for this parliament to reaffirm its commitment to an inclusive and harmonious multicultural society. After the Christchurch attacks, one of the messages of support from South Australians was a poem that remains true on this terrible occasion: 'Evil will not divide us, love will unite us, compassion will be our comfort.'

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (11:26): I, too, rise to speak in wholehearted support of this motion. I acknowledge all who have spoken and are speaking on this motion and thank them for their words and for their willingness to speak and act together here in this place and beyond in unity and in solidarity with Sri Lanka.

In speaking, I also acknowledge and offer my deepest condolences and love to the people of Sri Lanka and our beautiful Sri Lankan community in South Australia; people who are kind, peaceful, loving and accepting and who contribute so much and so generously to the fabric of South Australian community life people who should never have to mourn their loved ones nor suffer the devastation that these appalling evil acts have caused or the fear that those who perpetrated them hope to engender, mourning and suffering that we recognise will last for many long days, weeks, months and years ahead. We do and will all stand with them in those difficult times ahead.

As are we all, I am absolutely dismayed that again we mourn innocent people who, whilst peacefully going about the practising of their faith, were tragically and violently killed and that again we see hundreds injured and families and communities devastated. Like billions of people around the world and many of us in this place, my family and I attended various masses at Easter; masses that were conducted in a peaceful, sacred environment, where people gathered only for good, to reflect on what the Easter period means to them, to celebrate the holiest of times that Easter is and to connect with others in our community; masses that were conducted in an environment where we felt safe and would never have dreamed of being anything but.

To contemplate such atrocities being unleashed in that type of environment, and indeed anywhere, where children, families and friends sat together, prayed together and enjoyed each other's company is truly shocking. To contemplate them as the world still reels from the atrocities carried out in Christchurch, again in a place of worship, is truly heartbreaking. Our hearts are all so heavy as we reflect on them. These are acts that deeply, deeply trouble all of us. These are acts that must and should only elicit responses, words and actions that utterly defy and stand in complete opposition and contrast to the hate, the division, the racism and the lack of acceptance that drive and characterise those acts.

This contrasting spirit of love, unity, solidarity, compassion and peace was absolutely on display when, as others have spoken about, we gathered with the Sri Lankan Catholic Association of South Australia, and the Sri Lankan and broader South Australian community for mass on Sunday night at St Francis Xavier's Cathedral. I wholeheartedly thank all who organised this mass and the Sri Lankan community leaders here in South Australia, some of whom join us today, whose courage in the face of such adversity, whose dignity and whose willingness to reach out in an open way at such a difficult time to others is remarkable and evidence of that courage, that kindness and that resilience.

Together, in the lead-up to mass, hundreds lit candles and offered prayers, and together, throughout mass, we heard from Father Philip Marshall about the need for us all to deeply consider and to find, recognise and embrace each other's humanity and to find togetherness, no matter what. Muslim faith leader Professor Mohamad Abdalla, whom our South Australian community is so blessed to have with us, was joined by many imams and members of the Muslim community here in South Australia and the Buddhist community, all there in solidarity and in the spirit of love.

Professor Abdalla addressed our gathering and spoke about the fact that this hatred, this killing, is never carried out in the name of anyone, nor any religion, and that this hatred and this killing have no place anywhere. Both these leaders and other faith leaders also spoke about the precious unity that we create together in South Australia. It is a unity that sends a message to our community and the world that together we stand for love and for peace and that we will continue to do so in the face of adversity and in the face of any form of hatred or racism or extremism that threatens to divide us.

It is hard to put into exact words the very special feeling present in the cathedral on Sunday night. It was a feeling of unity and of deep determination to ensure that we here in our community will work to always express love and peace in our hearts, our thoughts and our actions. It was a feeling that made all of us there know that love will always triumph over evil.

Today, together as a parliament, we offer our deepest sympathy, our love and our solidarity as we stand shoulder to shoulder with all who have lost loved ones in such horrific, tragic circumstances, with our local Sri Lankan community and with all in Sri Lanka. By supporting and speaking to this motion together and by speaking out together, we reflect that unity that was spoken about and felt so deeply in the cathedral on Sunday night. Together, we reflect our determination to continue to speak and reach out together into our communities in a way that shows that love, peace and togetherness are the only way for our community, for our world and that love and peace must be the very core of our future of what we teach and show our children.

Together, we must, and together we will, as we do today, utterly reject the hatred and extremism that motivated those who committed these atrocities and that motivates those who seek to fan division rather than embrace diversity and recognise that we are one in humanity. We must draw a line under the hatred and racism of these terrible events in both Sri Lanka and Christchurch and relegate them to our past through the love and unity demonstrated in every corner of the globe in the wake of them.

We know that sadly not everyone in our nation believes that welcome, understanding and peace are the way forward. We know that there are those who wish to peddle hatred and division, sometimes shamefully for their own purposes, but we know that this hatred and division are not, and nor will they ever be, our future. Together, we will not let it be so. Our future is deeply strengthened by our cultural diversity, and the embracing of this diversity is fundamental to the strength, the fairness and the future of our state and our world.

A different way forward can and must be born from this tragedy and, together with love, understanding and acceptance and a rejection of hate, we can and will walk that path forward. Together, we will not let this define us. We will be defined by love, unity and hope. Our unity, our love and our connection through our humanity must and will triumph and prevail.

The Hon. R. SANDERSON (Adelaide—Minister for Child Protection) (11:34): I also rise to support the motion moved by the Premier and to give my sincere condolences to the Sri Lankan community and all those who are affected. Easter Sunday is the day Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. However, for those worshipping in the shrine of St Anthony, St Sebastian's Church and the Protestant evangelical Zion Church in Sri Lanka, their day of celebration turned into horror the moment suicide bombers entered each of those places, detonating their devices.

At the same time, a number of foreign tourists were enjoying Easter Sunday breakfast in restaurants located in the Shangri-La Hotel, the Cinnamon Grand Hotel and The Kingsbury. As guests were enjoying their holiday weekend with family and friends, three suicide bombers destroyed their tranquillity, killing many and delivering to the survivors nightmares for years to come. The six coordinated attacks killed more than 250 people. Each of those people had a story and leave behind loved ones. These attacks have been described as one of the most lethal and serious terrorist operations since the September 11 attacks in the US, outside of attacks within active conflict zones.

But we cannot lose hope. At the evangelical Zion Church, worshipper Mr Ramesh Raju, a 40-year-old father of two, challenged a man carrying a backpack who wanted to enter the church. The man explained that he had come to make a video of the church; however, Mr Raju was rightly dubious of that explanation and led the man away. Shortly after, the man detonated a bomb. Tragically, 29 people, including 14 children, died at that location. Mr Raju also lost his life, but his actions and instincts most definitely saved the majority of the 600 worshippers inside. The actions of civilians such as Mr Raju, the first responders, the three police officers who lost their lives in explosions while looking for the suspects, and the medical teams who treated the injured remind us that there is far more good in the world than evil.

Any act of terrorism and extremism should be condemned. Religious ideologies have no place in this world and no place disrupting and destroying the majority of the population who desire to live in harmony. Last week, the national colours of Sri Lanka lit up the exterior of Adelaide Oval, a wonderful tribute on a landmark in our city and in my electorate but a poignant one, given the battles over the years between Sri Lanka and Australia on the cricket pitch.

It was also moving to see the hundreds who joined the Sri Lankan Catholic Association of South Australia at the mass on Sunday evening at St Francis Xavier's Cathedral for a service led by Father Philip Marshall. It was a privilege to stand alongside the Governor, the Premier and many other MPs in solidarity with our South Australian Sri Lankan community members. To those in Sri Lanka and those closer to home who have been impacted, we stand with you today, united and resolute in condemning the attacks in your country and extend our sincere and heartfelt sympathies. I commend the motion to the house.

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (11:38): I rise to add my support for the motion before us today and in doing so offer my sincere condolences to the families who lost loved ones and to those injured in the tragic and devastating events in Sri Lanka. I also extend my condolences and support to the South Australian Sri Lankan community, some of whom I have met with in recent days and shared with me their concern for the safety of family and loved ones in Sri Lanka and the impact that it has had on their lives. I would just like to read a message that goes some way to saying how some of these families are feeling here in South Australia. It reads:

After I met with you the other day, I was telling you about my sister who lives in Sri Lanka. She was about to go for an event on the day of the attack to one of the hotels with my mum. They were getting ready to go and this happened before they left. They live in Colombo full of fear at the moment. There are more bombs hidden everywhere. My sister lost seven of her friends in the attack.

As leaders in the community—whether as members of parliament or local councillors, as journalists in media organisations, as teachers in our schools or as coaches, referees or umpires in our sporting organisations, as employers and bosses in workplaces or as people in positions of authority in our community organisations and also in our own families—we must stand up against prejudice, discrimination and hatred.

We must commit to work even harder as individuals and collectively in our communities to achieve greater inclusion, tolerance, acceptance and understanding of the different cultures we live among. We all have a role to play. Words are not enough. I commend the motion before the house.

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (11:40): I rise today to support the motion moved by the Premier. We are here to express our deepest sorrow and abhorrence at the senseless killing of innocent people in terrorist bombings—in this case, against Christian churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Only a few weeks ago, we were speaking to a very similar motion moved in response to the attacks in Christchurch. Once again, we see abhorrent and senseless killing committed by radical extremists against innocent men, women and children simply going about their own lives. These were revolting acts committed against Christians while they prayed and where they stayed and timed to coincide with the most sacred time in the Christian calendar—Easter.

This was not just an attack against Sri Lankan Christians but an attack against the Sri Lankan nation as a whole, its people and peace-loving communities around the world. In particular, it was an attack against a wonderful community, part of our own community right here in South Australia. I would like to express my deepest condolences to the people of Sri Lanka and, in particular, the Sri Lankan community in South Australia. This is indeed a growing community in our state, making a wonderful contribution.

I have had the great pleasure of meeting many Sri Lankans calling Australia home in Australian citizenship ceremonies locally in the City of Tea Tree Gully. Earlier this year, on behalf of the Premier, and along with the member for Heysen, I also had the great honour of attending the 71st anniversary of Sri Lankan independence that was held at the Hectorville Catholic community hall. This was a fantastic event where the unity of the Sri Lankan community was on full display. The observance of the Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Islamic faiths was a critical part of the celebrations.

As an aside, I should say that one of my favourite parts was when quite young children sang the Sri Lankan national anthem and also the Australian national anthem, including the second verse, which most Australians would struggle with. Today, we stand here together again against extremists in whatever form they come, extremists who seek to divide our communities. We stand in solidarity with Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan community here in South Australia. I commend the Premier for bringing this motion to this place and all those who have spoken and will speak on it, and I commend the motion to the house.

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay) (11:42): I rise today to support the motion as we stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka and South Australia's Sri Lankan community. It was only last year, 14 months ago, that we came together to celebrate and observe the 70th anniversary of the Independence Day of Sri Lanka. This was a momentous milestone in a long history, representing seven decades of political independence. After 450 years of colonial rule, in 1948 Sri Lanka, or Ceylon as it was known then, emerged as a proudly independent and unique nation.

Since that time, Sri Lanka and its people have overcome significant challenges while making great progress and achievements along the way. Today, as a community, we are taking the time to mourn and reflect upon Sri Lanka's latest significant challenge: the coordinated terrorist bombings at Christian churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday 2019. Just as we were able to come together to celebrate Sri Lanka's Independence Day, we come together today, standing with the people of Sri Lanka and South Australia's Sri Lankan community.

This is a community that has grown to more than 4,000 people in South Australia, each contributing to our state in their own way. In my previous role as minister for multicultural affairs, I was welcomed incredibly warmly to experience the traditions and cultural heritage of our Sri Lankan community. We worked closely together to see the development of the Adelaide Sri Lanka Buddhist Vihara, and it was a wonderful day to be with many members of the Sri Lankan community and open this wonderful venue in Crafers.

We come together often to celebrate. We pride ourselves in South Australia on being a welcoming and diverse multicultural community. Today, we come to support our Sri Lankan community because we know that, while they are a diverse community, they are peaceful and that their practices and prayers welcome all South Australians to come together.

We are committed to being an inclusive and harmonious multicultural society, one that condemns terrorism and extremism in all its forms. Terror, by its very nature, makes us frightened and makes us scared, but we know that together we are stronger. We know that together we speak out. We speak out to our community who are hurting and who have lost loved ones, but it is our actions and it is our words that we must continue to shout out. We are stronger together and diversity is our strength.

Today, I offer my deepest sympathy to the families and friends who have been affected by this event. I am greatly concerned about the economic impacts this will have on Sri Lanka, and we will continue to work with you into the future to fundraise and to support. We hope that we do not speak again in this house on a condolence motion for people who were praying, who were celebrating their religion in peace and who were attacked. It frightens all of us because we want to be able to live our lives with peace and freedom and we know that there are people out there who do not support that. My thoughts are with you.

Ms COOK (Hurtle Vale) (11:47): I am speaking today in support of the motion expressing sorrow at this latest attack in Sri Lanka, which has taken the lives of some 250 people, injured many more and changed many more people's lives forever. I am shocked and deeply saddened to be standing here talking about another mass murder. This cruel and heartless event took the lives of so many innocent men, women and children in Sri Lanka on what should have been a peaceful Easter Sunday. These bombings have come with little precedent. Sri Lanka may have endured a ghastly civil war and suicide bombings in the past, but nothing of this scale.

People have been stunned by the level of coordination behind these strikes and suggested that the attacks carried the hallmarks of an international plot. It was, of course, of no surprise when ISIS took credit for the despicable mass murder. The barbaric and twisted worldwide organisation claimed it was in retaliation for the killing of 50 Muslims during last month's mass shooting in Christchurch. The level of depravity of ISIS is beyond evil. There are no words that can be used to explain the hatred that this organisation thrives upon, but there are words I want to use to express to leaders around the world, particularly here in Australia: radical Islamic terror has no place in our society.

I have had enough. Since September 11, 2001, an event that shocked the world, the Muslim community—the peaceful Muslim community—has been persecuted through the actions of extremists and fundamentalists. They have been forced to explain their faith as it has been attacked across the world. They have been forced to apologise for the despicable acts of a few.

The victims of the Christchurch attacks, their families, their friends and their peaceful community would be absolutely horrified to think that a revenge attack has taken place in their names, claiming even more lives. The people of New Zealand do not want revenge; they want peace and harmony. We have seen the peaceful and culturally encompassing actions of the wonderful Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. How devastating it must be for her to learn that even more people have died as a result of what happened in her peaceful country.

While leaders need to stand strong and be resilient, what about parents? What about our children? What do we as parents say to our children who want to spread their wings and enjoy the world, be that through the internet or in real life, as they grow up? It is so difficult for parents and caregivers to protect our children, to let them maintain their innocence and be young for longer when we are constantly being exposed to this kind of hatred in our own lounge rooms.

To watch a child board a plane to travel to the other side of the world should not fill a parent with fear: it should be seen as an exciting adventure. As a parliamentarian and as a parent, my hope is simple: for peaceful change and strong leadership. Strong leaders need to emerge and shut down this racist and dangerous riffraff, particularly those in Australia's parliament. I am talking about people who express hate to others, hate amongst and between cultures. I am talking about people like Pauline Hanson and Fraser Anning. People like that have no place in our society and most definitely have no place in our parliament.

I call on my parliamentary colleagues to continue to call these people out. I call on the public and community leaders to call these people out. Racist and hate-filled rhetoric designed only for their mindless and moronic political purposes simply has to stop, and it is up to us to help lead that charge. We must insist that it stops now. As leaders, we can change the pathway of modern society. We can lead by example. We can lead our young people and let them lead us on this pathway.

When I speak to people in my community, no matter their age, race or religion, it is reinforced to me every day, especially by young people, that they want a sustainable, caring, loving world. No-one wants hate. Because of another life-changing event where our trust, sense of fun and carefree spirit have taken a beating, our world is never going to be the same. When bigots and racists take control, there is no stopping the fear of what could happen next.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to the global family of Sri Lanka. To the victims, families and friends affected by that act of mass murder, I say sorry. I am truly, truly sorry. It breaks my heart to stand here and talk about another tragedy so soon after the events in New Zealand. To the Sri Lankan community in Adelaide who have family and friends in Sri Lanka, we reach out to you.

Ms STINSON (Badcoe) (11:54): The coordinated attacks on Easter Sunday shocked me and my community for so many reasons. It is a sad fact that we have become somewhat desensitised to terrorist attacks in countries across the world in recent decades, but as the news broke I had a strong gut reaction—an instant, deep sadness.

Sri Lanka is not just another place to me. It is of course the birthplace of many people in my community. I visited Sri Lanka in 2005 and 2006, first arriving on the nation's independence day. It was about a year after the tsunami, and I volunteered on recovery works, which, even a year later, were still desperately needed. I remember the high security in what turned out to be the dying days of the civil war that had plagued the country for something like three decades.

Despite the police with high-powered weapons patrolling the streets and the airports, I found Colombo, Kandy, the Galle district, and the other places that I travelled to tranquil, naturally stunning and very friendly. As a young white woman in my 20s travelling alone, I always felt safe and welcome. My memories of those six or seven weeks in Sri Lanka are now frequently refreshed when I talk with local Sri Lankan people in Badcoe who have chosen to come to live in Adelaide.

It is a privilege for me to attend community events with the Sri Lankan people and to feel so welcome again. It is a great joy for me to converse with Sri Lankans about eating far too many hoppers at the Kandy markets, shopping for handmade leather goods that I still own and use today, swimming in a stream with orphaned baby elephants at Pinnawala Elephant Sanctuary—yes, that really happened; if you go to Sri Lanka, make sure you go there because it is incredible—or staying with local families who were so generous as to open their homes to me.

I have been very lucky, mainly through my previous life as a journalist, to travel to many far-flung places that are off the tourist track. Of all the countries I have visited, Sri Lanka is absolutely my favourite and the one that I recommend to others, particularly young travellers. It has a stunning natural beauty that is only paralleled by the generosity of its citizens.

Having had that experience in Sri Lanka and knowing that many peace-loving Sri Lankans now live in my community, it was truly shocking to hear of the horror perpetrated on a most holy day, Easter Sunday, a day that is meant to celebrate hope, love, forgiveness and faith. Like Australia, Sri Lanka is a multicultural nation with citizens of many faiths. That has not always been easy in Sri Lanka, and the deaths of some 250 people and injuries to many more is abhorrent.

I, too, attended the Sunday service at St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, attended by some 900 people. There was much said that was good and stirring and important at that service, but what really struck me were the words of Professor Abdalla. The presence of the Muslim leaders at the service on Sunday I think was important and really resonated with a lot of people who were there. Professor Abdalla said that hate begets hate and that violence begets violence, and he talked about the need for all of us to work towards breaking the cycle of violence. I think it was a really important message.

The other really important message that he talked about, far more eloquently than most of us can manage to muster, is that these attacks were not an act of religion. They were not the word of Allah and they were not committed as part of the Muslim faith. Indeed, the Muslim faith does not support murder in any way at all; in fact, it condemns it quite explicitly. I think it was really important to have Muslim leaders there to talk about that and to stand as one with members of our broader Adelaide community, particularly the Sri Lankan community.

To the Sri Lankan community in South Australia, I and all my colleagues here stand with you. We acknowledge the grief, the pain and the sadness that you feel. It is a pleasure to have had the chance to get to know you. You enrich our community. During this terribly sad time, we offer our sympathy and support.

I would also like to acknowledge the two innocent Australians who died in the attack. Manik Suriyaaratchi and her 10-year-old daughter, Alexendria, were attending a church service when this cowardly attack took place. Our deepest condolences go to those who knew and loved Manik and Alexendria. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, at a memorial for the victims of the Christchurch terror attack, recently said:

…we also ask that the condemnation of violence and terrorism turns now to a collective response. The world has been stuck in a vicious cycle of extremism breeding extremism and it must end. We cannot confront these issues alone, none of us can. But the answer to them lies in a simple concept that is not bound by domestic borders, that isn't based on ethnicity, power base or even forms of governance. The answer lies in our humanity.

As representatives of our community, let us stand firm in condemning this attack, an attack that took place on one of the most holy days for Christians. As terrorism once again impacts our region, let our parliament reaffirm the truth that an attack on any place of religion and on innocent people simply practising their faith is an attack on the freedom of us all and the faiths—or non-faith—of us all everywhere. It is an assault upon our humanity. These horrific attacks and the innocent lives lost are not forgotten. We stand with the Sri Lankan community during this terrible time.

The SPEAKER (12:00): I also rise to make a couple of remarks in support of the Premier's motion. I also acknowledge the presence of Dr Charitha Perera and Prabath Perera, who are with us today. All of us should have the right to attend a place of worship in peace, regardless of the faith that we have. The attacks in Sri Lanka on people at their most vulnerable are truly callous and shocking.

The Sri Lankan community in South Australia is a beautiful community. I know that members on both sides of the chamber have had the joy and delight of attending the various religious and cultural events that the Sri Lankan community have hosted. Such is the humility of the Sri Lankan people here that once they even had a function with the Twenty20 Sri Lankan cricket team. Such is the humility of the people that they were there mingling with as many people as they could. They are such a humble group. They have always opened their arms to me with warmth and friendliness and have always been extremely welcoming at their events.

As members have alluded to this morning, they truly enrich our state. As the Premier pointed out, more than 3,000 people in South Australia once called Sri Lanka their home. We should especially acknowledge those who may have lost relations in Sri Lanka during these terrorist attacks. I am informed that in my electorate of Hartley a further mass to the one that was held recently will be held this Sunday. I encourage members to attend it if they can.

Upon learning of the vigil, we as a parliament did what we could to show our deepest condolences. I know that members will certainly attend the fundraiser in due course, but we also lit up the outside of Parliament House to reflect the Sri Lankan colours—the colours of their flag—which represent the embodiment of multiculturalism and different faiths coming together. I know that this is a deeply sad time for the Sri Lankan people but that they will bounce back. We stand in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka, as well as South Australia's Sri Lankan community. I invite all members present to rise for one minute in silence as a mark of respect.

Motion carried by members standing in their places in silence.

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