14/12/2025
My heart breaks at the recent mass shooting at Bondi’s Jewish Chanukah festival.
My heart goes out to the victims, witnesses, friends and families, first responders, health care workers, and the Jewish community.
And like many, I am in awe of the bravery shown by Ahmed al Ahmed, a Muslim man who heroically tackled one of the gunmen from behind, disarmed him, and suffered gunshot wounds himself in the process.
Let us stay focused on unity, love and support, and not use this tragedy as an excuse for political or racial warfare.
Shame on anyone who is already choosing to lay blame on an entire population for the extremist acts of two individuals (who police have since confirmed were a 50-year-old man and his 25-year-old son).
My heart goes out to the Jewish community for this incomprehensible act of violence.
My heart also goes out to the Muslim and Arab communities, as we know Australia’s track record when it comes to the rise in attacks against these communities following such events.
Australia, let this be a time to unite across all beliefs and skin colours, stronger than before.
Reach out. Speak up. Call it out. Show respect. Act with integrity.