Well here I am occupying my local MP’s office, the Labor member for Fraser, Dr Daniel Mulino.
We are protesting about Australia’s complicity in the sickening and brutal genocide that Israel is continuing to inflict on Palestine, as part of a series of actions occupying Labor MPs offices across the country.
Being part of this protest is not something I have done lightly. But I can’t stay silent. There’s a genocide going on and Australia is complicit
I know Daniel, he’s a nice bloke. I worked with him in the parliament including campaigning for freedom for Tibet. But on Palestine he is missing in action like the rest of the Labor Government.
Dr Mulino has refused to meet with local residents and community groups to discuss the genocide and actions that Australia could take to pressure Israel to end the killings. I personally requested a meeting with him and have not even received the courtesy of a reply. He has told others that his diary is full until next year. Elected representatives meeting with their constituents is a cornerstone of our democracy. If we want people to trust in our democracy then MPs have to be responsive.
So today we have decided to escalate our protests. Our occupation is an act of peaceful civil disobedience to let Daniel Mulino know that he and the Government cannot stay silent in their complicity with Israel.
Under international law, all countries are obligated to act to prevent and punish genocide, as established by the Genocide Convention and customary international law. This obligation extends to enacting domestic legislation, and supporting international efforts like those of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). States must not only refrain from committing genocide but also take positive steps to prevent it from occurring.
Instead of acting in this way our Government has continued to allow the export of parts of F35 bombers to Israel via the US. The Future Fund continues to invest in companies like Elbit Systems who are manufacturing the drones being used to murder Palestinians. Australians continue to serve with the Israeli Defence Forces. There have been no sanctions affecting broader economic or diplomatic ties.
We are calling on the Government to sanction Israel like we have sanctioned Russia, end trade with and stop arming Israel and end diplomatic ties with Israel. Sanctions speak louder than words.
Recognition of Palestine is not enough. Words are not enough. Israel is murdering hundreds of innocent people every week including children, health workers and journalists. Entire communities are being erased. Last week, in their latest flagrant violation of international law they bombed and killed people negotiating for a ceasefire in Qatar.
Yet while Israel has been committing genocide in Palestine, our Government has shown it can act when it chooses to. Australia has sanctioned Russia for its illegal invasion of Ukraine including prohibiting the exports of goods related to Russian oil production, bans on drones and related components and travel bans and financial sanctions on over 1,400 individuals and entities.
The majority of the Australian population are sickened by the killing and starvation of children and innocent people. They want our government to take strong action and to work with other countries to take real and powerful action that will force Israel to stop the genocide. Actions like Spain has recently taken; banned ships carrying fuel for the Israeli army from docking in Spanish ports, and barring entry to individuals “directly involved in genocide, human rights violations and war crimes” in Gaza, a prohibition that could apply to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government.
In contrast our government is silent and is ignoring protests inside and outside the parliament calling on them to take actions like these. My experience over a decade as a Senator tells me that if the government won’t listen then we have to increase the pressure and make them act. My arrest today was my next step from my activism in the Senate, walking out of the Senate holding up a Palestinian flag; being chucked out of the House of Representatives protesting about human rights in the Philippines. Until they act then peaceful civil disobedience and disrupting business as usual is what good people need to do.
