Politicians Plagued By Infighting And Tantrums Unsurprisingly The Only Leaders Not Calling For Unity And Calm

CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT

Australia is still reeling from the horrific anti-semitic attacks that took place at Bondi Beach on Sunday night, with many wondering where we go from here.

As the entire world now knows, Australia's historic Jewish community were celebrating the commencement of Hanukkah celebrations when they were fired upon by two gunmen in a targeted attack in Sydney's Eastern suburbs.

This horrific act of terrorism has resulted in the deaths of 15 innocent people, with over 40 more people injured.

While many heroes arose from the tragedy, the Jewish community will likely never again feel as safe celebrating their faith in public as they did at the start of that day.

Immediately in the wake of the attack, Australia's most influential community leaders - from an array of different religious, ethnic and political organisations - were quick to show solidarity with and send condolences to our Jewish community

These genuine and heartfelt messages were also backed up by calls for unity and calm.

As the nation grappled with the very real emotions that follow this kind of horror, the immediate response of Australia's community leaders and frontline workers has helped provide a safe space for both Jewish Australians and the wider Bondi community to grieve.

However, as is often the case in Australian politics, there have been a number of grifters attaching themselves to this shameful and heart-breaking tragedy in an attempt to make a name for themselves.

From the social media influencers who have centred themselves in the immediate public discourse, to the unelectable politicians that view this tragedy as an opportunity to launch their political attacks on their opponents.

Unsurprisingly, it appears to be the politicians that are definied by their inability to get along with their own party members due to anti-social outbursts of rage and spitefulness.

Namely, the Federal Opposition leader Sussan Ley, who waited less than a day to begin telling Australia how this mass casualty event wouldn't have happened if she was in charge.

Australia's far-right ambulance chasers at One Nation have also been quick to drum up fear and anger in the community, which is right on brand for a political movement that is mostly made up of people who had previously resigned from other parties because they could not get along

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has proven to be a thorn in the side of his old colleagues, by refusing to adhere to the reactionary political talking points when discussing the attacks that took place in his home town.

Turnbull has joined the vast majority of the nation's community leaders in offering well thought-out and rational commentary, while also pointing to his own experiences as Prime Minister who oversaw terrorism briefings from intelligence agencies. He managed to do this without turning it into a left vs right political debate.

As one of the four different leaders that the Federal Opposition churned through in less than 7 years, it seems Malcolm Turnbull knows all too well the unhelpful acts of self-sabotage caused by mediocre politicians exploiting the news cycle to chase cheap political points.