Television Interview, Sunrise

SUBJECTS: Federal Response to Bondi Terror Attack.

EDWINA BARTHOLOMEW, HOST: The Prime Minister's response to the Bondi Beach attack is in the spotlight this morning as he continues to reject calls for a royal commission into antisemitism and the Bondi terror attack, despite demands growing louder and across this country. It comes as Anthony Albanese chose to issue an apology over the incident more than a week after it took place. For more, we're joined by Richard Marles, the Deputy Prime Minister. Good morning to you, Deputy Prime Minister. 

RICHARD MARLES, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Good morning Eddy, how are you?

BARTHOLOMEW: Why did it take so long for the Prime Minister to apologise?

MARLES: Well we've been very focused, from the moment that this attack happened, to do everything we can to try and unify the country, to look at what has occurred, to make sure that we are responding right. I know that the Prime Minister feels very heavily the responsibility of this attack happening on our watch. You know, and we all have a sense of sorrow about the fact that this has occurred whilst we've been governing and that is felt in terms of how people across the community are feeling, and particularly the Jewish community. The focus, though, is on– 

BARTHOLOMEW: But you can do two things at once. You can have a really strong response and you can also apologise. And have you been a unifying force? Because there seems to be this disconnect between our federal politicians and what everyday Australians really want at the moment, and that is unity. From our text line: as an Australian, I'm ashamed about how the massacre has become a political slinging match; Stop trying to score political points when they should be standing united against hate crimes; We do not want our politicians damning each other. Can you admit that the response from our federal politicians at this time hasn't been great?

MARLES: Well, our focus, Eddy, from the moment of this attack, as a government, has been to avoid partisanship. You have not heard any of that from our side of politics. I mean, the Coalition have chosen to walk a partisan path. Obviously that is a matter for them. But we have been very focused on seeking to bring the country together. You know, this is not a moment to seek to inflame passions. It's got to be a moment where we are trying to engage in healing the nation. And that's what the Prime Minister has been doing. And in doing that has also been really focused on what steps need to be taken and taken now. That's why we're moving in relation to hate speech, to make sure that we are going after the hate preachers, making sure that we are doing what we can to tackle hate speech online. We understand that this attack has happened in a context that we are seeing the worst antisemitism in my lifetime and we're focused on that. But what we have been about all along has been to try and bring people together.

BARTHOLOMEW: Sussan Ley just told us that the Prime Minister hasn't spoken to her on the phone since the night of this attack. Can you assure us that the federal government, the Prime Minister, will pick up the phone to the Opposition Leader and at least have a conversation about a way forward?

MARLES: Again, people can walk down those paths of partisanship. We are seeking to bring the country together. The only words you have heard, literally the only words you've heard from the Prime Minister– 

BARTHOLOMEW: It's not hard to pick up the phone, though.

MARLES: What you've heard from the Prime Minister since this attack occurred has been words which are seeking to bring the country together. It's not looking for any kind of partisan fight. I mean, the question that you've asked me comes from an attempt to make this a partisan issue and that's not what we are seeking to do. And we will continue to walk a path of being focused on bringing the nation together, on seeking to respond to this appalling tragedy, to making sure that we learn every lesson that we can learn so that this never happens again. And there will be time to go through all the issues that have occurred here. But right now, I mean, this happened nine days ago and the only words that you have heard from the Prime Minister over that period of time are words which have sought to bring the country together because that has been our focus.

BARTHOLOMEW: Well, the words Richard that our viewers are hearing at home – and these are comments from them on our text line – is that they really want to see unity on this issue and everyone really hopes that is what happens in the weeks to come. Richard Marles, thank you for your time this morning. We really appreciate it.

MARLES: Thanks, Eddy.

ENDS