Australia/Israel Review

Discussion of antisemitism was appropriately prominent in the returning Australian Parliament. In fact, within minutes of the February 4 resumption for this year, antisemitism was the subject of debate in both houses. 

In the House of Representatives, independent Allegra Spender moved that the House:

“(1) deplores the appalling and unacceptable rise in antisemitism across Australia, including violent attacks…;

(2) unequivocally condemns antisemitism in all its forms; and

(3) resolves that all parliamentarians will work together constructively to combat the scourge of antisemitism in Australia.”

She added, “The message from this parliament today must be unambiguous… We are all united against antisemitism. Words must be backed by action.”

Jewish ALP MP Josh Burns seconded the motion, saying, “Antisemitism is a wicked problem… It is up to each and every member of this House to stand firmly and strongly against it and to do whatever is in our power to ensure that Australia is a safe place.”

Liberal Jewish MP Julian Leeser, their co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of IHRA, stated, “The only thing that will solve antisemitism in this country is tough measures, strong leadership and stronger laws.”

Other notable comments included the following:

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: “Antisemitism stands in vile opposition to all we are as a nation… These acts of hatred are an assault on the rights that every Australian cherishes.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton: “We stand with the Jewish community, we stand with every right-thinking Australian and we condemn antisemitism in every form.”

Assistant Minister Matt Thistlethwaite: “Over the last month, members of the Jewish community… have been subjected to some disgusting and terrifying antisemitic and racist attacks. I unequivocally condemn those attacks.” 

Shadow Foreign Minister David Coleman: “If you allow antisemitism to gain even the smallest foothold… your society is no longer safe. It is an evil that is always there below the surface and, at the first sign of it coming above the surface, it must be repressed.”

Independent Zoe Daniel: “What’s happened in Gaza is terrible… Questioning that, the lack of humanity in it, is not antisemitic… But hateful rhetoric and acts against Jewish people here are absolutely wrong and must be condemned.” 

Jewish ALP MP Mike Freedlander: “It is important that we do act together to get rid of this scourge.”

Labor’s Linda Burney: “I have a very simple message to those perpetrating these antisemitic acts… Disgust will be your reward.”

Labor’s Peter Khalil: “Antisemitism is a violent, ancient hatred. It’s run its wicked course through history.”

Greens Leader Adam Bandt, however, seemed concerned for only certain types of Jewish victims, saying, “I’ve had members of the Jewish community say to me recently that they oppose the invasion of Gaza, they oppose the occupation, they oppose what Benjamin Netanyahu is doing and they participated in peaceful protests but that the recent attacks are having an effect on them. I want them to know… there is universal support to say that antisemitism has no place in this country.”

Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie moved the same motion in the Senate, adding, “The antisemitism… has got to stop. It is not just hateful and hurtful; it’s un-Australian…To the people who are doing this… You seriously are Australia’s scum.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, “These attacks are an attack on the Australian Jewish community, but they are also an attack on who we are as Australians. They’re an attack on our values.”

Other notable Senate comments included the following:

Shadow Minister Michaelia Cash spoke of “the vile rise of antisemitism in this country… Jewish Australians across Australia… deserve our support.”

Greens Deputy Leader Mehreen Faruqi: “The Greens support this motion, but it would have been really good to see an acknowledgement of tackling and condemning all forms of racism in this country, not trying to weaponise antisemitism.” 

Labor’s Deborah O’Neill: “This is an ancient and insidious evil… The horrific massacre of October 7… unleashed and gave licence to those who are filled with hatred in their souls.”

Shadow Minister James Paterson: “What the Jewish community has been asking of… governments in this country for 15 months now is for action to accompany the words of condemnation.” 

Shadow Minister Bridget McKenzie: “[The Holocaust] started with antisemitism becoming normalised… Post October 7 that’s exactly what has been happening here.”

Independent Lidia Thorpe said, “If you want to stamp out antisemitism, you must include racism in all its forms,” and moved an unsuccessful amendment to add “racism in all its forms” to the motion.

Both motions passed without a division.

On Feb. 4 and 5, during the debate on the Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill, which Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus moved in September, many MPs and Senators took the opportunity to further address antisemitism, including the following (for reasons of space, many worthy contributions, especially from those previously quoted, aren’t included):

Shadow Assistant Minister James Stevens: “We are seeing this remarkably depressing blooming of disgusting antisemitic behaviour in our community.”

Shadow Minister Dan Tehan: “If there is anything that will destroy the social fabric of this nation, it is antisemitism, and we have to do everything we can to stamp it out… an attack on a Jewish Australian is an attack on every Australian.” 

Minister Clare O’Neill: “One of the most concerning things that I’ve seen happen in my adult lifetime in this country is the rise in antisemitism.”

Liberal Jenny Ware: “Jewish people… were attacked simply because of their Jewish faith and ancestry, and it is completely unacceptable.”

National Anne Webster: “Antisemitism is inconsistent with Australian values and unthinkable in modern Australia.”

Liberal Andrew Wallace: “This hate speech… has rebranded, and it’s a campaign that is called ‘Zionism’. But… they are the same ancient tropes, lies and attitudes that have been repackaged to attack the Jewish people.”

Shadow Minister Michael McCormack: “Why people hate Jewish people I can’t comprehend.”

Independent Helen Haines: “There are people out there who seek to intimidate, to terrorise and to hate, and to do this to people because of their Jewish faith… There must be consequences for these vile actions.”

Liberal Paul Fletcher: “The outbreak of antisemitism in Australia is… a threat to civilisation and to the values which underpin our modern Australian nation.”

National Pat Conaghan: “‘From the river to the sea’ talks about the ethnic cleansing of Jews. How is that not a breach of section 93Z?” 

National Colin Boyce: “It is both desperately sad and utterly predictable that, on learning of these horrific [October 7] attacks on Jewish people in their own homeland, malicious actors here in Australia would draw inspiration from this.” 

Liberal Rowan Ramsey: “Those sentiments of early 1930s Germany seem to have taken root here… it’s the beginnings of rabid antisemitism, and it needs to be stamped out.”

Shadow Minister Jason Wood: “Antisemitism is a direct rejection of… being Australian.”

National Sam Birrell: “As horrific, distasteful and as outrageous as [antisemitism] is, we need to talk about it.”

Liberal Gavin Pearce: “It’s up to every leader at every level… up to every person on the street to condemn [antisemitism] as strongly as possible.”

Labor’s Michelle Ananda-Rajah: “The kind of systemic and degrading hate that my Jewish community are now experiencing… I’m now… in a country that I don’t recognise… if you give antisemitism a foothold… it will accelerate.” 

Labor’s Shayne Neumann: “It is a disgrace and abhorrence that Australia in the 21st century should have this occurring.”

Minister Tony Burke spoke of “antisemitism—a form of bigotry that is as ancient as it is vile.”

On Feb. 6, the Senate returned to debating a bill on a judicial commission into antisemitism at universities, last considered in July 2024.

Shadow Minister Jacinta Nampijinpa Price noted, “Little by little the hatred grew and became more pronounced. People became unashamed of their antisemitic views.”

Liberal Linda Reynolds said, “Today, here in Australia we are witnessing the most extraordinary acts of hate against Jewish Australians.”

Liberal Hollie Hughes added, “When you are inciting hatred… talking about the annihilation of a country… support for recognised terror organisations whose sole mission is the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people, that is antisemitic.”

Labor’s Raff Ciccone said, “[Antisemitism] is a scourge on our community… the level of hate that is being directed towards the Australian Jewish community is just abhorrent and… needs to be called out.”

Finally, on Feb. 12, Josh Burns, who chairs the Parliament’s Human Rights Joint Committee, presented the report from the Committee’s inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities. He stated, “For too long, Jewish students have been vilified, intimidated, excluded from societies and clubs, ostracised in student union meetings and fundamentally let down by the university procedures that are meant to look after their safety and their wellbeing.”

Deputy Chair, Liberal Henry Pike, said, “The evidence the committee received demonstrated that there has been an alarming and abhorrent rise in antisemitism among students and staff at Australian universities… Antisemitism is inherently un-Australian… Australian universities have become incubators of antisemitic thought in our country.”