Motions — Terrorism—Madrid Bombings

I move, That this House condemn the brutal and senseless murder of over 200 people, and the injuries inflicted on more than 1,500 people, in last Thursday’s terrorist train bombings in Madrid, and convey our firm solidarity with, and deep sympathy for, the people and Government of Spain. I am sure that all New Zealanders share the sense of horror and disgust that we in Parliament have at what happened in Madrid, and would want this House to communicate its great sadness to the Spanish people, and to stand in solidarity with them at this time.

The National Party would like to associate itself with that motion. All decent people in this world must feel very deeply the absolute horror of what took place in Madrid. Terrorism is something that should not be tolerated in any shape or form by decent people in this world, and every effort must be made to stamp out that kind of absolutely abhorrent violence. We support the Prime Minister’s motion.

New Zealand First endorses the Prime Minister’s comments in their entirety, and we pass on our deepest sympathy to the Spanish people.

On behalf of the Green Party, I totally endorse the Prime Minister’s comments and those of the other members, and extend our most heartfelt sympathy to the Spanish people. Green parties around the world are condemning this atrocious act, and we totally identify with the comments of the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, who said that the killing of innocent people cannot be justified, regardless of the cause. We agree with Mr Annan’s hope that the perpetrators of this despicable bombing will be swiftly brought to justice.

On behalf of the ACT party, I wish to join with the Prime Minister in support of this motion, and to say that it is appropriate that we, as a Parliament, interrupt our business to move this motion of sympathy. It was a horrific act of terrorism against innocent citizens, and it is important that we express our solidarity with the Spanish people.

In our lifetime, Spain has gone from being a closed, fascist State to being an open, democratic one, and it is a State that is now playing its full role in the world. As a consequence, it has suffered this act of terrorism. We should, as one of the world’s oldest democracies, express our sympathy to the Spanish people, and say to them that we realise what a terrible threat terrorism is to open societies, and that we must combat it together. It is appropriate that we pass this message on, and I hope, Mr Speaker, that you will take the opportunity as Speaker to make sure that it is passed on to the people of Spain.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: I will do that.

On behalf of United Future, I want to endorse the comments made by others, and also the sentiments of the motion moved by the Prime Minister, and express our sympathy to the people of Spain at their sad loss in this horrific tragedy.

Two points that have arisen from these events need to be made. Firstly, as others have mentioned, the spirit of freedom around the world in democratic countries like ours can never be quenched by acts of this type. We must stand as firmly as we ever have done to ensure that the democratic tradition lives. Second, we must, at the same time, squash any immediate notion that terrorism has triumphed in this instance, because it brought about a change of Government.

I think there are those amongst us in this wider world who may have that perverse logic, and that message has to be debunked as quickly as possible. This is a tragedy for freedom, for democracy, and for the people of Spain, and we certainly stand alongside other parties in this Parliament in upholding the resolution the Prime Minister has moved.

Motion agreed to.