Craig Laundy MP Gets It

On December 1, 2014, a motion was moved in the House of Representatives by Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou that the House acknowledge the UN's designation of 2014 as the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (IYSPP).

This is what Craig Laundy, the Liberal member for the Western Sydney seat of Reid, who seconded Vamvakinou's motion, had to say on that occasion:

"I rise today both to second the motion that the member for Calwell has brought to the chamber and to speak in favor of it. My predecessor spoke about going to Palestine. I have not had the opportunity to go to Palestine, but in a weird twist of events in the electorate I represent I did not have to, because people of Palestine came to me. I have lived in this part of Sydney my entire life... Being Catholic you are cursed, I think, with leaning right on values and leaning very left on social justice. If you were to talk about this topic in my electorate, this is one that resonates. It is the social justice side of this that particularly resonates with me. I learn better by immersion and, after I was elected, the member for Calwell contacted me, I guess on a hunch that the demographics of my electorate would have over time given me exposure to this cause - and I am very thankful she did that. What I did do once I agreed to be the co-chair of the Friends of Palestine was that, because I am a simple character who learns better by immersion, I contacted friends of the member for Calwell and I asked to basically go and sit and listen, as I learn a lot better when I listen. I went one step further. It was a Saturday afternoon in Auburn and around 50 or 60 people had gathered together. I took my wife and my two daughters with me to spend an afternoon with some truly amazing people and to listen to their stories.

"We hear the constant reference to the two-state solution; both parties refer to it. But I am as frustrated as the previous speakers are on this topic, because quite often, I believe, this is used a line to hide behind; it does not get past that. The sole motivation of everyone in this place is to make this country and this world a better place for our kids - and to do so, this is an issue we need to tackle; we need to be real about it. I have great faith in the hearts of Australians - I always have had and I always will have. A slang term we use is 'fair go.' For the last almost 60 years, the people of Palestine have not had a fair go. What my wife and daughters and I heard that afternoon over 3 hours was story after story from first generation and second generation Palestinians. We heard about the impact that the situation in Palestine has had on the parents. Imagine, if you will, going home this afternoon and putting your key in the door and it doesn't fit. You think, 'Hang on a minute. What's happened here?' You knock on the door, and someone you don't know opens it. They are in your home That is what happened in Palestine. That is what happened all those years ago. A people were displaced and they have been fighting for their identity ever since. That is it, simply. If you look at the Middle East and the issues that we as a globe confront today, we can trace it back pretty much to this region some 60 or 70 years ago. Anyone who stands in this place and argues differently is not fair dinkum.

"We got back in the car after 3 hours. I am blessed with 3 beautiful children, and all of them, fortunately, look like and take after their mum. In the safety of our own car, where we could voice our opinions and talk among ourselves about this issue, my 15-year-old daughter, Sophie, said from the back seat, 'Dad, you've got to do something to help.' You cannot listen to the stories of people who were directly impacted on this front and not come away with any other desire than to help - and to do that we must be fair dinkum. We must raise our soft, diplomatic voice through both the UN and the halls of these chambers. The things discussed in this chamber should not be influenced by the power of the lobby; they should be influenced by what is right.

"Member for Calwell, in the Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People - many of whom call my electorate home - what you propose here is right. I will stand side by side with you at all times on this issue. I will debate this topic and yell for change - because the definition of insanity is doing the same thing every day and hoping for a different solution."

Clearly, Craig Laundy, bless him, gets Palestine, and spoke eloquently about his Palestinian immersion. However, as we know, any Australian politician who speaks out on this issue, can expect to cop it, as we say. Could a Zionist inundation be on its way? Stay tuned...