'The silence was overwhelming': Pat Anderson speaks out on attempted bombing of January 26 rally

Jarred Cross
Jarred Cross Updated February 6, 2026 - 1.36pm (AWST), first published at 12.00pm (AWST)

Uluru Dialogue co-chair Pat Anderson says in addition to fear and hurt caused by the attack at the Boorloo / Perth Invasion Day rally, it was "silence" which caused her the most pain.

On Thursday, it was announced the 31-year-old man alleged to have carried out the attempted bombing of the rally had been charged with an act of terrorism.

In the 10 days since the incident, First Nations leaders and politicians, organisations and many members of the public called for the attempted bombing to be treated as such.

Commissioners called for systematic reform while Lidia Thorpe introduced a motion condemning the attempted bombing, passed by both Houses of Parliament this week.

Local Indigenous leaders met with senior police officials within days as security footage of the man alleged to have carried was out the incident was released by police, while other vision and imagery had circulated online through the week.

"I have waited for yesterday's decision to make this statement," Aunty Pat Anderson said on Friday.

"Like many First Nations peoples, I have watched the events in Perth with a heavy heart.

"The now alleged terrorist act combined with the sluggish, inert response of elected leaders is a stark reminder of how we as Aboriginal people are viewed and treated in this country.

"I know our communities are feeling scared and hurt right now. The message that hurt me most was that of silence. The silence was overwhelming."

Aunty Pat was a leading figure in the 'Yes' case for the Voice to Parliament, continuing the conversation following the 2023 referendum.

She said a Voice to Parliament would have spoken up against race hate - something she said "shakes you to your core and diminishes your sense of safety and belonging, leaving you feeling exposed, exhausted, and abandoned."

"The answer is Yes. That's the difference between politicians and people we choose to represent us," Aunty Pat continued in her statement.

"Our people live in a reality knowing that it has never been our government's priority to keep us safe.

"We know this from compulsory segregation or 'protection', stolen generations and child removals, subjugation and today youth detention and incarceration.

"What happened in Perth has stirred this history up."

She added there is no shame in feeling overwhelmed by the weight of reminders and silence, though pointed to "strength in the chorus of our people's voices speaking together in unison".

"We have survived policies designed to erase us, our languages banned, children taken, lives cut short, and futures denied," Aunty Pat said.

"We have endured not because the road was easy, but because we leaned on kinship, on Country, on community, on culture. This strength to endure comes from a true sense of place."

Aunty Pat says while First Peoples across the country embrace with one another, it's important to remember "we are not defined by hate" and what happened recently does not define Indigenous youth's future.

"No act of racism or terrorism can ever take away our belonging to each other and to this land, our home," she said.

"Our journey continues as we keep walking with the 6.2 million who voted yes and hopefully many more Aussies to join."

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Senator Lidia Thorpe expressed similar sentiments; the attack was driven by "the same element of hate that continues to be perpetrated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country".

She also called silence on the matter "incredibly painful".

In a joint statement, federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke and Member for Perth Patrick Gorman said: "First Nations people, like all Australians, have the right to gather peacefully without fearing for their safety."

"Racism has no place in our society. All Australians have a right to feel safe and protected from violence and bigotry," their statement read.

"Our message to the First Nations community in Perth and all those affected is we stand with you."

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