Following the horrifying attack that killed 50 people in Christchurch last Friday, there was an outpouring of grief for the victims and reflections about security, immigration and wider political discourse.

Australian politicians conveyed their shock at the attack and praised New Zealand Prime Minister the Right Hon Jacinda Ardern MP for her handling of the aftermath. Prime Minister the Hon Scott Morrison MP turned to a wider discussion of unity, warning of a return to ‘tribalism’.

‘If we allow a culture of ‘us and them’, of tribalism, to take hold; if we surrender an individual to be defined not by their own unique worth and contribution but by the tribe they are assigned to; if we yield to the compulsion to pick sides rather than happy coexistence, we will lose what makes diversity work in Australia’, he said.

Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, spoke directly to New Zealanders, saying ‘we regard you as family and today your Australian family grieves with you’.

Prime Minister Morrison also announced an additional $55 million in Australian community safety grants, to be allocated to places of worship and religious schools.

On Thursday, NZ Prime Minister Ardern announced that all military-style semiautomatic weapons, assault rifles and high-capacity magazines would immediately be banned in New Zealand.

Ms Ardern stated, ‘On 15 March our history changed forever. Now our laws will too. We are announcing action today on behalf of all New Zealanders to strengthen our gun laws and make our country a safer place. Every semi-automatic weapon used in the terror attack on Friday will be banned’.

Given that national security measures have already been widely discussed in the lead up to the Federal Election, it can be expected that these events have only solidified their importance on the political agenda.