Last Wednesday night, at the Tom Hughes Oration, a public speaking Liberal party fundraiser for the Federal seat of Berowra, held at the Sydney Opera House’s Studio, the Opposition Leader of Australia, Peter Dutton, compared the social significance of the crime that occurred at pro-Arab protests at the Sydney Opera House on the 9th of October last year during an Israeli Solidarity Opera House Western Sails Illumination after the attack on that state by Hamas to that of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, describing both event’s social significance as “akin” to one another:
While no one was killed during the October 9 protests, the events at the Sydney Opera House were akin to a Port Arthur moment in terms of their social significance.
In my judgement, Prime Minister Albanese has not risen to that moment.
Peter Dutton, Opposition Leader Of Australia
On 28th of April 1996, 35 people were killed & 23 others were wounded in a mass shooting at Port Arthur, Tasmania, prompting then-Prime Minister John Howard, who was only elected to office just over a month prior, to significantly amend Australia’s gun laws.
Tom Hughes, a Liberal politician, was Australia’s Attorney-General from 1967 to 1971.
The next morning, Peter Dutton made a press conference where he was questioned on his statement by an Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) journalist:
Do you stand by comparing the pro-Palestinian rally on the steps of the Opera House last year to the Port Arthur massacre? How is the social significance of these 2 events in any way comparable?
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Journalist
The Opposition Leader responded saying he would not have tolerated antisemitic protests, just as he would not tolerate any other minority-directed hatred:
I, I, I made the very important point last night that in 1996 when we saw a tragic loss of life, uh, in Port Arthur with that massacre there that John Howard, the Prime Minister at the time stood up & was strong as a leader, not weak.
He stood up for what was right, not what was wrong & he led the Australian public on a path that we still benefit from today. That is, gun law reform & we had a chance, I think, for the Prime Minister to see the controversy that was created, uh, after October 7 in our country, those dreadful scenes on the steps of the Opera House.
Uh, fortunately there’s no loss of life in our country, uh, as a result of that protest, of course, no one is suggesting there is but what we saw was a rise in antisemitism where we’ve got armed guards outside schools, at the moment, in our country. There are people of Jewish faith who are worried about going to a synagogue or worried about going to a Jewish supermarket or gathering in communities. We’ve got Holocaust survivors who sought refuge in our country & have felt safe for decades under Liberal and Labor Governments, are now talking about wanting to leave Australia because they feel unsafe so, yes, did I think John Howard stood up in ’96 when he needed to in our country’s interests?
Absolutely & did Anthony Albanese stand up and show the strength John Howard demonstrated and change the course of our country’s history? No, he didn’t. He was weak. He’s been trying to walk both sides of the street when it comes to this issue. He’s trying to tell people in Western Sydney 1 story and people in Dover Heights a completely different story & Australians are seeing through it.
Peter Dutton, Opposition Leader Of Australia
John Howard, who comes from the same Liberal-Nationals Coalition as Peter Dutton, was Prime Minister (PM) of Australia from 1996 before being replaced by Labor’s Kevin Rudd in 2007. Party in-fighting saw a leadership spill in 2010. Australia’s Deputy PM, Julia Gillard, replace Kevin Rudd. in June 2010, who was 3 years later, replaced by Kevin Rudd after more party in-fighting resulted in another leadership spill. Kevin Rudd and his Labor party lost the Federal election & thus, the Prime Ministership less than 3 months later in September 2013.
Dover Heights is a suburb in eastern Sydney, where just about half (49.9%) of the population follows the religion of Judaism while western Sydney has a significant Arab minority with at least 8% following the religion of Islam.
I think the point of that question though is the events that were compared are very different.
Unknown ABC Journalist
But, but, hang on, look, look at the comments that I made, uh & you can’t, the basis of that question that has come out of Canberra, uh, is obviously a Canberra-based question from the ABC. If you look at the facts of what I said, I don’t think you can have the, the, the, the, presumption in that question that you asked so I would say to whoever it is from the Canberra bureau, uh, to look at what I had to say last night because I think they’ve set you up with that question if I’ve might say.
Peter Dutton, Opposition Leader Of Australia
Canberra is the capital city of Australia and thus, the home of Australian Federal political news bureaus.
Well, Mike Burgess last year said ‘words matter’ when maintaining social cohesion in Australia. Did you breach that advice in your speech last night?
Unknown ABC Journalist
Mike Burgess is Director-General of Security at the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
As Mike Burgess said, no. Again, the Labor Party were running this line through the ABC last year and Mike Burgess came out to say he was making no reference to comments that I made whatsoever so, I’m not going to be tarnished by the ABC. I’m not going to cower because of the ABC and other left wing media organisations in our country. My job is to stand up for what is best in our country’s interests. My job is to share our vision with the Australian people about what we want for the future of our country.
Peter Dutton, Opposition Leader Of Australia
We understand Mike Burgess has not responded to Peter Dutton’s recent social significance comparison. Port Arthur’s Federal Parliament member, the Member For Lyons, Brian Williams, responded to Mr Dutton’s comments though:
From the unspeakable tragedy & horror of what occurred at Port Arthur in 1996, the Australian people put politics aside and came together in common purpose.
As the local member here, I would ask Peter Dutton to reflect on that & refrain from making such divisive and inflammatory comments using the tragedy in our community.
Brian Williams, Member For Lyons.
Sydney Spectaculars 
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