Statement to the House of Representatives

I can inform the House that the Western Australian Government has confirmed the Western Australia Joint Counter Terrorism Team - comprising WA Police, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO - has charged one man yesterday, a 31-year-old male, with engaging in a terrorist act.

That offence carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

I was briefed yesterday in person by the Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett and the Commissioner of Police for Western Australia, Col Blanch, on the investigation. I thank particularly the Commissioner from WA for travelling here to do an in person briefing.

As an individual has now been charged, I will use the word allegedly.

On the 26th of January, the man is alleged to have thrown a home-made explosive device into the crowd at a rally in Perth.

This was a gathering of our fellow Australians, exercising their democratic right, to express their views and to participate in a peaceful demonstration.

And they were allegedly targeted because they were Indigenous.

This alleged act of terrorism was deliberately aimed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Mr Speaker, this was alleged terrorism driven by racism and hatred.

Hate that should have been banished to the dark reaches of history - yet still lives in the dark corners of the internet.

The device did not detonate - but that does not change the fact that this attack was real.

And the intended consequences would have indeed been horrific.

Deaths. Injuries. Trauma beyond imagining.

I know that First Nations people around Australia are grappling with that.

The combination of disbelief, anger - and real fear.

And I have met with a number of Indigenous Leaders in the past 24 hours about this.

As a Government, as a Parliament, and as a nation - we see you, we stand with you.

We will do everything required to keep you and your loved ones safe.

There is no place for racism or hatred in our nation.

It is an offence against our Australian values - and it is an offence in Australian law.

Importantly, the Joint Counter Terrorism Team does not believe there is any residual risk from the alleged perpetrator.

Mr Speaker, Australia has been enriched by every faith, background and tradition, people all over the world united by their love of this country.

And only Australia has the privilege of being home to the oldest continuous culture on earth.

And we all share that privilege, either people who have come here, or are descendants of people who have come here.

That is a source of pride for all of us.

And it is something that all of us have a responsibility to safeguard.

On that, let us stand united - as a Parliament, as Australians, in support of our nation.

And let us reach out at this time, which will be difficult as some details are further, will no doubt come out as part of this process - it will be a difficult time for Indigenous Australians, and we stand with them at this time.