PRIME MINISTER: On indulgence, Mr Speaker.
Justice today was delivered in New Zealand to the terrorist and murderer for his cowardly and horrific crimes and attacks on a Christchurch mosque. The world must never see from, of him, or hear from him ever again.
All Australians were and remain horrified and devastated by his despicable terrorist act. New Zealand is family to us in Australia. Today, we send our love across the ditch. And I had the opportunity to pass on those wishes directly to the New Zealand Prime Minister earlier today.
But out of the horror of this event, I simply want to refer to what emerged as an incredible grace and beauty in the form of Farid Ahmed, who I met with Jenny, at the memorial service in Christchurch at the time, and again when he came to visit me in Sydney in March of this year. Farid lost his wife that day, and his message in response was not one of hate, but one of hope and of love. He is truly one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. Incredibly humbling just to be in his presence.
I pay tribute to the Muslim community of New Zealand and also of Australia who have supported each other in these very difficult times, and today will be a time when it all comes back. And it hurts again. In a way just that bit more than it ordinarily does.
But the way they have done that reflects the goodness of their faith. You have been a light answering a terrible darkness.
God bless you, New Zealand, our whanau this day.
May it be another day of healing for everyone affected by this terrible terrorist atrocity.
