Minns: ‘You’ve reclaimed this House’

Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper hosted an early Chanukah celebration at NSW Parliament last week, which featured addresses from both NSW Premier Chris Minns and newly elected Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane.

Members of the community, communal leaders and several politicians attended the annual event, with Minns welcoming everyone to Parliament House.

“I’m so grateful to see so many of you in such large numbers because I think it sends a clear and unambiguous message that you are welcome guests and you’ve reclaimed this House for the people of NSW away from those horrible racists that occupied the front of parliament a couple of weeks ago,” he said, referring to the neo-Nazis who assembled outside NSW Parliament.

“You are welcome here.”

Sloane said it was an “extraordinary privilege” to speak as Opposition Leader after she replaced Mark Speakman in the role.

“It is so nice to be in a room full of great friends, dear friends, people who I’ve gotten to know closely,” she said.

“I want to acknowledge Premier Chris Minns, who has been the most steadfast of friends to the Jewish community in our State. I’ve told him that many times.

“We are so incredibly lucky and fortunate in our state that antisemitism is not a partisan issue. We have bipartisan support, multipartisan support in this state, and I can only dream we would have that federally.”

After the support shown by both Minns and Sloane, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip declared, “All our Chanukahs have come at once.”

Kamper and Marjorie O’Neill MP thanked the Jewish community for their great contribution to NSW, before community members were called up to light the menorah candles.