The House: Divergence, messaging and word choice inside party responses to Bondi attack

Photo: VNP / Phil Smith

Parliament's week began with speeches from each party regarding the Bondi Beach attack.

Such motions of condolence are necessary all too often.

A terror attack on a close neighbour is something Parliament cannot reasonably ignore. Beyond the violence, acts of terror aim to affect opinion and emotion, to instill fear, fuel hatred and widen division - impacts that reach beyond borders.

This event will have caused fear and unease within New Zealand, especially among Jewish and Islamic communities - both of whom have long experience as targets of such hatred.

Politicians from different parties tend to respond to such events in very similar ways. During speeches in Parliament on Tuesday, leaders of every political party rejected anti-Semitism, decried violence, and saw the event as both senseless and hateful.

There were also small and interesting variations between their messages. Some differences were broad.

In a left-right divide, all three left-leaning party leaders from Labour, Green and TPM specifically mentioned the 15 March mosque attacks, but no-one from the governing coalition parties did. Other divergences were more party-specific.

Photo: VNP/Louis Collins

National, Labour diverge on blame

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's speech was reasonably pro forma until he said this: "Ours is a multicultural country - a nation known for its courage and trying hard to address the wrongs of our past; a country whose geographical isolation means that we haven't imported the problems that come with mass uncontrolled migration."

Luxon appeared to be blaming attacks like the one in Bondi on "mass, uncontrolled