Opposition Leader Sussan Ley calls on Australians to ‘stand with those who are hurting’ in Christmas plea

Sussan Ley has used her first Christmas message as opposition leader to call on Australians to “stand together” in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack. Ms Ley has spent much of her time mourning with Australia’s Jewish community in Bondi since the December 14 attack in which opened fire on attends of a Hanukkah festival. Fifteen people were killed in the “ISIS-inspired” massacre and dozens more were injured. Ms Ley, a Christian, said Christmas this year “comes at a time of deep sorrow and reflection for our nation”. “Just days ago, families and friends gathered in Bondi to celebrate faith and community,” she said. “Instead, Australia witnessed an act of hatred and violence that took innocent lives from our Jewish community on the first night of Hanukkah. “We mourn those lives. We grieve with their families. And we stand with a community that has been profoundly shaken.” She said the country was being tested and asked “who we are as a people and what we choose to stand for”. “Hatred and extremism have no place in Australia,” she said. “Anti-Semitism has no place in Australia. “Our strength as a nation lies in our decency, our courage, and our willingness to stand together, especially when it is hard.” Reflecting on her own faith, Ms Ley said the values of “peace, hope and joy” mattered “no more than ever”. “They call upon us to comfort the grieving, reject division, and deepen our resolve to love and care for one another,” she said. She also noted the “strain on families” weathering the cost of living. Households have been forking out more for less in recent years as power bills continue to climb alongside higher price tags on supermarket shelves. While food inflation has tempered, analysts consider it unlikely that prices will ever drop. “The cost of living has placed real strain on families, and for some, this Christmas will feel heavier than it should,” Ms Ley said. “If you are doing it tough, please know that you are not alone. Your community matters, and you deserve leadership that listens and acts.” She went on to say that over the past year she had “travelled across our country and met Australians from every walk of life”. “Even in moments of grief and uncertainty, I have seen compassion, resilience and an instinct to look out for one another,” Ms Ley said. “That spirit endures, and it gives me confidence in our future. “This Christmas, we remember those we have lost. “We stand with those who are hurting. And we hold fast to the values that bind us together as Australians.”