That interview continues:

Q: There is a planned demonstration, we understand, at the Opera House this weekend. Does the Government take a view on whether or not that is appropriate?

Richard Marles:

Well, firstly, there are obviously legal proceedings which will play out, and that’s a matter for the courts. I’ll come back to what I said – right now is a moment to commemorate and remember what happened two years ago was an appalling terrorist attack. There’s no ifs and buts about that. Now, a lot has played out in the course of the last two years. Our Government has been very clear about that. We have had front and in terms of our focus the humanitarian situation, the loss of innocent lives, be it Palestinian or Israeli, and that’s where we will continue to be, as we will continue to be in a place of supporting what gives rise to enduring solutions for peace and that’s where the Government is it. But I think we do need to acknowledge that, on this day, the Jewish community in this country is obviously feeling a sense of pain and it’s very important that that’s respected and that there is the appropriate remembrance and commemoration of the events that occurred two years ago on this day.

Q: Australians arrested trying to break Australia’s naval blockade of Gaza say they’ve been physically beaten and mistreated by Israeli authorities. What is the Government’s understanding of what’s happened to these people?

Marles:

Well, look, we’re engaging with Israeli authorities. We’re obviously providing consular assistance to those who are… Who have been involved in this and we will continue to do that. I’m not about to go into it in more detail than that. But we will continue to provide consular assistance to those who are involved. Clearly, you know, we had made it clear that Australians should not be in a position of trying to breach the blockade which exists and that was very much a matter in terms of their own personal safety, but in the circumstances that are now there, we will continue to provide consular assistance to these people