Media Releases

The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) welcomes the Prime Minister’s contrition and announcement of several steps to combat antisemitism, but calls for more.

AIJAC Executive Director Colin Rubenstein said, “The Prime Minister’s admission that he and his Government did not do enough to combat antisemitism over the last two years is welcome, but comes too late. We have with increasing urgency called for immediate action to combat antisemitism since October 2023.”

Dr Rubenstein continued, “The policy announcements made by the Prime Minister today are welcome, if overdue. We are willing to work with the Government to help ensure they are fully implemented. However, the main test for the Government will be its willingness to push back against the obsessive hatred of Israel and Zionists that emanate from progressive and Islamist spaces. If the Prime Minister and the Government continue to studiously ignore this issue, it will be a clear sign he has not internalised the problem.”

Dr Rubenstein concluded, “AIJAC has prepared a list of policies that state and federal governments should implement to effectively fight the scourge of antisemitism. Some of these items were announced by the Government today. In the coming days, we will be releasing the rest of this list to help guide Government policy in the days and weeks ahead. The first item on that list will be calling for the establishment of a Royal Commission into antisemitism in Australia.”