In keeping with a pre-election tradition going back more than two decades, AIJAC submitted a series of 11 policy questions to the campaigns of both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, leading the Australian Labor Party (ALP), and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, from the Liberal-National Coalition, to help our readers and supporters make an informed decision as they go to the polls on May 3.

These questions, designed to focus on political issues of special concern to the Australian Jewish community, dealt with the following matters:

• Ties with Israel
• Policy toward the Gaza War and future Israeli-Palestinian peace-making
• Principles guiding Australia’s votes on Mideast issues at the United Nations
• Australian funding for UNRWA
• Australian aid funding for the Palestinians
• Policy responses to the unprecedented wave of antisemitism Jewish Australians have experienced since October 7, 2023
• Implementing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism, plus any proposed changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act
• The Iranian nuclear and terrorist threat
• Counterterrorism
• Policies toward Australian Multiculturalism
• Accountability and complaints handling for our public broadcasters

While the Coalition provided detailed answers to our questions, the ALP, unlike during previous elections, replied with a letter laying out the current Government’s responses to most of the concerns and issues raised in the questionnaire. We reproduce both the ALP’s letter and the full questions and Coalition responses below.

 

The ALP letter

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your inquiries regarding our policies and actions.

The Albanese Government recognises that this is an extremely difficult time for the Jewish community. While this conflict might be far away, it has been close to many in Australia.

Some have lost family, or have loved ones directly impacted.

An Albanese Labor Government will build on Australia’s close and longstanding relationship with Israel. The bilateral economic relationship has grown under our government, and we will continue to work to support the deepening and broadening of our trade and investment links.

The Albanese Labor Government continues to call for all parties to return to the ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, and for the deal to be implemented in full. We have long been part of the international call for a ceasefire, the unconditional and immediate release of hostages, the protection of civilians, and safe and unimpeded humanitarian access. We are unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas for its atrocities on 7 October 2023, and its ongoing acts of terror. A two-state solution is essential to long-term peace and security in the region. We will continue to work with the international community and vote in the United Nations in support of a two-state solution – the State of Israel and a Palestinian State, living side by side in peace and security within internationally recognised borders.

We have been clear that we will be guided by whether recognition of a Palestinian state will advance the cause of a just and enduring peace. Like many in the international community, Australia has been frustrated by the lack of progress towards a two-state solution. And like Canada, Germany, the UK and other partners, we no longer see recognition as only occurring at the end of the process. It could occur as part of a peace process. We have made clear that we see no role for Hamas in any future Palestinian state.

The Albanese Labor Government is committed to providing effective and transparent aid to the Palestinians, which we believe can help build the institutions for statehood and address urgent development and humanitarian needs. It is critically important, however, that aid and program delivery goes directly to benefit those who are most in need. That is why Australian funding is only provided under stringent controls and safeguards to ensure it is used only for humanitarian purposes and complies with Australian law.

There is no place in Australia for antisemitism. Every Australian deserves to feel safe and supported in our community, no matter who they are or what they believe. The Albanese Government has acted to condemn words and acts of hate directed at Jewish people. We have enacted the toughest laws Australia has ever had against hate crimes. These laws target the most serious forms of harmful hate speech, including advocating or threatening the use of force or violence against a group or member of a group, or against a place of worship. We are sending a clear and unambiguous message that advocating or threatening violence is not acceptable. We have committed over $78 million to improve safety and security at Australian Jewish community sites. We established a parliamentary joint committee inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses which has conducted a timely and comprehensive inquiry and just tabled its report. We have committed over $14 million to Holocaust remembrance, education and outreach to ensure the Holocaust can never be forgotten. We also appointed Australia’s first Special Envoy for Antisemitism, Jillian Segal. The Albanese Government is acting to keep the community safe and ensure that people are free to live their lives safely and freely.

Modern Australia has been built through our multiculturalism. The Albanese Labor Government is committed to ensuring that Australians of all cultural and religious backgrounds can contribute and enjoy the benefits of a multicultural society. This requires political leadership supporting multiculturalism, greater engagement with the full diversity of culturally, religiously, and linguistically diverse Australians, and a commitment to secure inclusive institutions to ensure no one is left behind.

The Government continues to deliver on its commitment to a modern multicultural Australia, including through consideration of the Multicultural Framework Review. The Government welcomed the release of the Review’s report, Towards Fairness: a multicultural Australia for all, on 24 July 2024 and released its Government response the same day. The Albanese Labor Government has made significant funding investments to support its response and deliver initiatives that support multicultural celebrations and to strengthen Australia’s multicultural capacity.

The ABC and SBS are government-funded but have operational and editorial independence so that their programs are free of political and commercial influence. Reporting by the ABC and SBS is governed by editorial policies that outline how they meet the requirements of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 and Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 to provide news and information that is accurate, impartial and balanced over time and across the schedule of programs broadcast as may be necessary. Both the ABC and SBS have complaints processes that include review avenues to independent Ombudsman, and complaints about TV or radio programs broadcast by the ABC or SBS may also be escalated to the Australian Communications and Media Authority if the response from the ABC is not considered to be satisfactory. Public broadcasters are otherwise publicly accountable through their annual reports, government audits and inquiries, and appearances before Parliament, including Senate Estimates.

Yours sincerely

ALP Campaign 2025

 

The Coalition answers by question

If you win Government at the upcoming election, what action will your party take to encourage the strengthening of bilateral ties between Australia and Israel?

A Dutton Government will be a strong partner of Israel in bilateral relations and internationally through multilateral fora.

Israel has been a close friend that has shared critical intelligence with Australia that has helped thwart terrorist attacks against ADF personnel in the Middle East and save Australian lives at home.

Peter Dutton has made clear that, if elected, one of his first orders of business will be to call Prime Minister Netanyahu to help rebuild the relationship Labor has trashed.

Israel will be able to count on our support again in the United Nations.

A Dutton Coalition Government will revitalise discussions on a Free Trade Agreement with Israel, building on a strong economic relationship and looking to harness Israel’s strengths in technology and R&D.

When last in government, the Coalition recognised West Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel, recognising that it is the seat of the Israeli Parliament and many other institutions of government.

It was a Coalition Government that opened a Trade and Defence office in West Jerusalem, building stronger trade, investment and other ties with industry in Israel.

In contrast the Albanese Labor Government has abandoned Israel, despite promising before the last election there was no difference between the government and Opposition on our major ally and democratic partner.

Labor Ministers use diplomatic double-speak to obscure the Government’s bankruptcy on the Albanese Government’s position on the Middle East.

They say that the Government now supports Palestinian recognition without any negotiation with Israel and then obfuscates by suggesting a two-state solution will come at some later time.

A Dutton Coalition Government will again put the national interest front-and-centre of our foreign policy.

 

If you win Government, what concrete measures will your party take to promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians? What do you see as an acceptable conclusion to the Gaza war, and what steps, if any, would your government take to contribute to that? Under what circumstances do you believe the Australian Government should recognise a Palestinian state?

A Dutton Government will continue to support Australia’s longstanding and previously bipartisan position for a negotiated two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state exist in peace and security within internationally recognised borders.

This is a stark contrast to the Albanese Government, which now says it supports unilateral Palestinian recognition without any negotiation with Israel, and voted for UN membership for a “state of Palestine”.

The Coalition opposes Labor’s shift from Australia’s longstanding position in support of a negotiated solution sought to resolve matters of borders, security guarantees, rights of return first and foremost, rather than a potential early arbitrary recognition of a Palestinian state that leaves the difficult questions unresolved.

A Dutton Coalition Government will continue to call for Hamas to release hostages, to lay down arms, and to stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields. We will continue to stand steadfast with Israel’s right to self-defence, and for the removal of the terrorist threat that undermines peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The Abraham Accords demonstrate that progress can be made in the Middle East, and reinforce the need to prevent terrorists from derailing such progress. Australia should use our influence to support progress towards an enduring peace.

Despite promising no change before the election, Labor in Government has been overt and public in its abandonment of Israel, driven by domestic politics as it seeks to fend off the threat of Greens candidates in inner city seats.

 

What principles should underlie Australia’s decisions with regard to voting on Israeli-Palestinian issues at the United Nations General Assembly and UN Human Rights Council? If you win government, do you anticipate any changes to the way Australia currently votes on these issues at the UN?

If elected, a Dutton Coalition Government will revert to Australia’s previously long-standing positions on UN votes relating to Israel, rejecting Labor’s recent unilateral changes which have been made for purely domestic political reasons.

When last in government, the Coalition strongly supported Israel’s right to exist within secure and internationally recognised borders, and the right to self-defence as guaranteed in the UN Charter and this was reflected in our approach to UN votes.

Like the last Coalition Government, Australia’s votes at the UN under a Dutton government will demonstrate support for Israel, not by abstaining from votes which cloak anti-Israel sentiment in one-sided language, but by voting against anti-Israel bias.

The Coalition is the only major party of government in this election which has maintained a consistent approach to the Australia-lsrael relationship in this election and, unlike Labor which made – and then broke – specific commitments to the Australia’s Jewish community at the last election, our commitment to Israel is not one which should be sacrificed for domestic political purposes.

Whether it be supporting a one-sided ceasefire that failed to hold Hamas to account, endorsing ‘the state of Palestine’s’ membership of the UN, changing years of previously consistent positions, Labor has completely undermined its own pre-election promises and Australia’s reputation for consistency.

Unlike Labor the Coalition will continue to stand by our democratic friend and partner Israel, their right to self-defence, and against terrorists who no country could tolerate living alongside.

 

Given the strong evidence that UNRWA has been cooperating with and is thoroughly infiltrated by Hamas, do you believe Australia should continue to fund it?

The people of Gaza need humanitarian aid, and the Coalition strongly supports the provision of funding for this purpose. But it should be provided to trusted organisations – not UNRWA.

During the Albanese Government’s term, credible evidence has emerged that UNRWA employees were involved in the atrocities of 7 October, which led to the biggest loss of Jewish life since the holocaust.

UNRWA sacked nine employees, but incredibly there has been no other consequence against these people and no demand from the Albanese Government that action be taken against them – even as it resumed funding this disgraced organisation with $20 million of Australian taxpayer dollars every year and just recently in the 2025-26 Budget confirmed it would continue doing so. A Dutton government will cease funding UNRWA and direct that funding through trusted international partners.

 

In past years, Australia has raised concerns that aid and development funding to the Palestinians in the disputed Territories may be used to pay stipends to terrorists, distribute textbooks that spread hate or otherwise undermine a future two-state peace. What would your party do to ensure any development aid provided to the Palestinian people, especially funds designed to rebuild Gaza, advances the cause of peace?

Further to the Coalition’s public commitment to cease Australian taxpayer funding to UNRWA, a Dutton Government will adopt the lead set by the last Coalition Government in suspending aid wherever there were concerns that Australian humanitarian aid was being misdirected or used in ways that have unacceptable and unintended consequences, including in ways which undermine the peace processes.

 

The Australian Jewish community has been suffering an unprecedented wave of antisemitism since October 7, 2023. If you win government, what measures will you take to address this ongoing crisis? What contribution would you make to the security costs imposed on the Jewish community by the need to physically protect Jewish community institutions and schools? What would you do about the antisemitism on university campuses, where many Jewish students and staff now feel unsafe?

A Dutton Government will:

• Bring total moral clarity to the evil of antisemitism, and provide the political leadership which makes it abundantly clear that we expect the law to be enforced readily – not reluctantly – against those inciting hatred and violence.
• Create a new, dedicated antisemitism taskforce led by the AFP and bringing together Commonwealth agencies and state and territory police.
• Direct the AFP to prioritise addressing antisemitism, including any unsolved crimes against the Jewish community such as doxxing, displaying terrorist symbols, incitement, harassment, and other offences.
• Direct the Antisemitism Taskforce to refer any visa holders involved in acts of anti- Semitism for immediate cancellation and deportation.
• Amend the section 501 character provisions of the Migration Act to ensure antisemitic conduct is captured by the law, and applies retrospectively for all acts of hatred towards the Jewish community since the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks against Israel.
• Establish a judicial inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities.
• Provide $35 million to assist with the rebuilding of the Adass Israel Synagogue following the horrific arson attack in December 2024.
• Commit $8.5 million to see the Centre of Jewish Life and Tolerance become a reality.
• Deliver the $32.5 million security funding package requested by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry without any strings attached, including funding armed guards at schools and synagogues – unlike the Albanese Government who have restricted funding to unarmed guards only.
• Provide $7.5 million over three years in additional funding to Crime Stoppers to enable Crime Stoppers to expand its operations and protect more Australians from the devastating impact of crime in local communities and helping address the antisemitism and extremism crisis.
• Provide $6 million funding for the Jewish Community Centre Hakoah at White City in Sydney.
• Provide $10 million to upgrade security at Moriah College.
• Provide funding through a revitalised Safer Communities Fund to protect Jewish community institutions and schools.

 

Both Labor and the Coalition have embraced the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism. Can you detail how a government you lead would implement this definition across government? Also, is your party considering any changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act?

A Dutton Coalition Government will take a proactive approach to combatting antisemitism, in stark contrast to the Albanese Government who have failed to show leadership on the antisemitism crisis in Australia since the Hamas terrorist attacks on 7 October 2023.

Peter Dutton has made it clear that, if elected, he will declare a national emergency on antisemitism and give responsibility to a single minister to coordinate and mobilise all relevant agencies in the fight against antisemitic terror.

The Coalition was proud to lead Australia to join the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) as a member in 2019. IHRA member states noted the importance of Australia sharing its unique perspective on Holocaust education and remembrance. Australia’s IHRA membership demonstrates our continuing commitment to combating antisemitism and protecting freedom of religion.

A Dutton Coalition Government will build on this by ensuring that all Government Departments and agencies are working together to promote a culture which recognises and opposes antisemitism and promptly addresses any issues. This is especially important for security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies, given several violent antisemitic attacks across Australia, as well as the Health and Education sectors, where there have been some extremely concerning examples of antisemitism in those institutions.

The Coalition does not propose to amend section 18C. The Coalition is committed to ensuring that freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom from discrimination, including on the basis of race or religion, are all protected and promoted.

 

If you win Government, what action will your party take to assist the international community in preventing Iran from continuing to pose a threat to regional and global security, including via its nuclear weapons programs, its dangerous cyber capabilities and its support for terrorist groups?

Over the past three years, the Coalition has consistently stood with the Iranian-Australian community and continued to call for action against the oppression of women, girls, protestors and critics of the Islamic Republic regime in Iran (IRI).

The death of Masha Jina Amini was a clarion call to the world, including Australia, that it needed to do more against the IRI.

But the Albanese Government has been slow to take action against Iran – and way behind the actions of our major ally, the US, and has refused to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, despite Canada and US doing so and as was recommended by the Senate inquiry.

The Albanese Government has refused to accept most of the recommendations of a Senate inquiry, led by then Shadow Assistant Foreign Minister, Claire Chandler, which reported in early 2023.

There is significant evidence that the IRGC is engaged in terrorist activity, and Australia’s laws should reflect this reality. Failing to do so can only further diminish Australia’s standing and demonstrates the Albanese Government’s ongoing failure to adequately support international action such as the multi-nation operation against Iran-backed Houthi terrorism in the Red Sea.

The Coalition has repeatedly made clear that we offer our bipartisan support for any actions required to enable the listing of the IRGC.

When last in government, the Coalition applied sanctions required under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 on nuclear and ballistic-missile related materials. We also applied Australian autonomous sanctions on the export of arms and related materials.

In our last Budget, the Coalition funded the establishment of the REDSPICE (Resilience-Effects-Defence-Space-Intelligence-Cyber-Enablers) program to give Australian agencies new offensive cyber capabilities to protect Australians.

 

Terrorism remains an ever-present threat in Australia and around the world emanating from Islamist, far-right and other ideologically extremist sources. If you win Government, what will your party do to improve Australia’s counter-terrorism capability, counter violent extremism and enhance deradicalisation initiatives? Do you believe that there are any additional groups that need to be considered for listing as terrorist organisations in Australia?

Peter Dutton and the Coalition have led the way in passing legislation through the Parliament in response to the antisemitism crisis in Australia, with the Albanese Government being forced to agree to our measures to legislate mandatory minimum sentences for terrorism offences despite Labor having a long history of opposition to mandatory minimums.

The measures passed by the Coalition are an important step in combatting the antisemitism crisis, and send a strong signal to the people responsible for this campaign of terror. But the lack of proactive leadership from the Albanese Government in addressing the antisemitism crisis remains an ongoing concern.

A Dutton Coalition Government will work with local Australian communities to prevent terrorism, counter radicalisation and violent extremism.

A Dutton Coalition Government will not hesitate to take decisive action against terrorist organisations who threaten Australia’s values and interests.

We will immediately seek advice from our security departments and agencies about the potential listing of organisations including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the IRGC. We will ensure there are real and immediate consequences for individuals who publicly celebrate listed terrorist groups.

 

There is bipartisan agreement that Australian Multiculturalism – which balances rights with overriding responsibilities to uphold core Australian national and democratic values – is the policy framework that anchors our harmonious, ethnically diverse democracy. Is Australian multiculturalism tracking along well, or does it need greater policy intervention? What policy proposals and leadership will your party deliver and implement to preserve and enhance Australian Multiculturalism?

Australia is the most successful multicultural nation in the world. The Coalition Government will keep it that way with a plan for a strong economy that ensures a stronger future for all who call Australia home.

Australia has benefited enormously from the strong economic contribution of migrants over generations, and our plan will see this continue. Our success is also built on the strong social cohesion that helped keep Australians together during the pandemic.

The Coalition Government will continue to invest in protecting, and further strengthening, social cohesion.

We will keep Australians strong and united by ensuring all who arrive on our shores continue to feel heard, and are supported to participate in every aspect of national life.

In this way, every Australian is given the opportunity to buy in and draw strength from our shared values – such as mutual respect and individual responsibility.

A Dutton Government will:

• Support multicultural communities to showcase their rich culture, traditions, arts, music, and food and to connect and share cross-cultural understandings with the wider local community.
• Revitalise the Safer Communities Fund to foster social cohesion, address youth crime, and keep public places and places of worship safe for our communities.
• Continue deep community engagement to ensure all Australians are heard.
• Recognise the exceptional contribution of our multicultural communities.
• Support and strengthen youth, community, multicultural and volunteer groups and charities, acknowledging the critical role they play in society.
• Support the arts and Australian cultural, sporting and recreational pursuits to foster and enhance community wellbeing.

 

The ABC is an important national institution but many are concerned about its ability to meet its statutory charter obligations of balance and fairness. What steps, if any, will a government led by your party take to strengthen accountability at the ABC and fellow public broadcaster SBS?

The ABC has legislated independence for all operational and content matters, but it is critical that it operates with integrity, balance and fairness in accordance with its charter and editorial policies.

The Coalition expects the ABC to uphold those standards, and consistent with the expectations of all public bodies, that they spend taxpayer funds responsibly and efficiently.

This will be our expectation in government, complemented by ensuring there is a robust complaints process, which is a critical foundation to the ABC meeting its legislative obligations to be accurate and impartial.