Greens Provide Explanation for Not Voting on Oct. 7 Condolence Motion

Following the noticeable absence of the Greens during the federal lower house vote on a condolence motion on Oct. 7, Greens leader Adam Bandt attempted to clarify his party’s stance.

“From our perspective, we couldn’t support a motion solely focused on the events of Oct. 7 without acknowledging the findings that the extremist [Israeli] Netanyahu government has been involved in war crimes and an ongoing genocide,” explained the federal MP representing Melbourne.

Bandt stated that the Greens supported commemorating the “cycle of violence” surrounding the attacks but opted not to support the recognition of the Oct. 7 incident itself.

Despite criticism from the Coalition, the Australian lower house approved the condolence motion for the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, with 85 MPs voting in favor. Independent MPs, including the “teals,” supported the motion.

Labor Finance Minister Katie Gallagher justified the government’s position, stating their intent is to unite the country rather than fuel social rifts.

“On one side, we have the opposition with a particular perspective, and on the other, we have the Greens with an opposing view.

“In the middle, the government unequivocally condemns Hamas and the atrocities of Oct. 7. We call for the release of hostages while acknowledging the significant loss of Palestinian lives and advocating for a ceasefire,” she expressed.

Opposition Criticizes Motion’s Scope

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton objected to the inclusion of Palestinian and Lebanese victims in the condolence motion, arguing that it should have focused solely on the Israeli community—specifically the 1,200 Israeli lives lost in the unexpected Hamas attacks.

“This was intended to honor the loss of human life, but the prime minister is trying to appease both sides, which we cannot endorse,” Dutton stated.

He also characterized the motion as an extension of Albanese’s approach to the broader Israel-Palestine conflict over the past year.

The motion that was ultimately passed in Parliament not only condemned the attack on Israel but also mourned the loss of innocent civilians, including Palestinian lives, and acknowledged the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Albanese reiterated Australia’s long-standing commitment to protecting civilian life in accordance with international law and acknowledged the devastation caused by the conflict.

The Labor government has faced political challenges in balancing the interests of its western Sydney constituencies—which have a larger Muslim population—and aligning with broader international condemnation of Hamas and Hezbollah.