Antisemitism is sharply on the rise in Australia and Peter Dutton is making sure it’s part of election rhetoric. Photo: ACT Jewish Centre.
Antisemitism isn’t usually an Australian election issue, but it is shaping up to be firmly in people’s minds when they head to the polls next year.
Peter Dutton is blaming Anthony Albanese for making Australia less safe since the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel last year, saying he has “sold out” the Australian Jewish community.
The Opposition Leader has used his strongest language yet to condemn the Prime Minister for not calling out last week’s attack on a Melbourne synagogue as an act of terror.
“If people are attacking a place of worship, a religious gathering point, then we know that that is a terrorist attack,” Mr Dutton said on Sunday (8 December).
“And the Prime Minister hasn’t had the guts to come out and say that, but every Australian knows that’s exactly what’s happened.
“And I want to make sure that the Jewish community here in Australia hears a very clear message from the Coalition that we will always support them.”
But shortly after Mr Dutton’s statement, the Prime Minister did indeed label the arson attack on Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue an act of terrorism.
While an official declaration of terrorism is for state authorities to determine, Mr Albanese said his personal view was that it was an obvious terrorist attack.
“Quite clearly, terrorism is something that is aimed at creating fear in the community, and the attacks on the synagogue in Melbourne clearly were,” he said on Sunday.
“And therefore, from my personal perspective, it certainly fulfils that definition of terrorism.”
The PM had already described the attack as an “atrocious act” and committed $32.5 million to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry to further enhance security at Jewish community sites, including synagogues and schools.
He said antisemitism has no place in Australia and the Federal Government unequivocally condemns it.
“The Jewish community has made an extraordinary contribution to the strength and success of our nation over generations,” Mr Albanese said.
“This grant of $32.5 million will enable the community to provide support and security on the basis of priorities established by the community themselves.
“Antisemitism is disgraceful, and I unequivocally condemn it in all its forms.
“Every Australian has the right to be proud of who they are and to feel welcome, safe and supported in Australia.”
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said there was no higher priority than community safety for the Federal Government.
“Antisemitism has no place in Australia. We all have a responsibility to fight against it,” he said.
“This announcement builds on previous support for the Jewish community, including funding for increased security, criminalising doxxing and banning the Nazi salute and hate symbols.”
The new funding will enhance security resources for Jewish schools, pre-schools and other communal facilities used by the Jewish community through risk and threat assessments; critical incident planning; upgrades of security camera systems, monitoring and training; crisis management support; and security guard services.
But it’s not enough for Peter Dutton, who says the Prime Minister has not done enough to help keep Jewish people in Australia safe.
“I think it’s clear to every Australian that the level of antisemitism and hatred that we’re seeing in our community is absolutely unacceptable,” the Opposition Leader said.
“A place of worship is sacrosanct and people should go to a church, or go to a synagogue, or a mosque, or a temple – wherever it might be — and they should be able to practice their religious beliefs freely.
“We’ve now got armed guards at Jewish schools, places of gathering, etc. There’s a security presence there, and that just doesn’t have any place in our society.
“I think what the Prime Minister did after the October 7 attacks in Israel was to completely abrogate his moral responsibility.
“He didn’t condemn strongly enough the actions that we saw on the steps of the Opera House on October 9, and the months and months of protest and hatred and vitriol that was expressed on our university campuses, again, gave rise to ugly incidents.
“And, of course, now it’s escalated to a point where we’ve seen this firebombing, which very clearly is a terrorist attack.”
Mr Dutton’s language over the issue has intensified since Australia, along with 157 other countries – including major allies except for the United States – supported a United Nations resolution last week to demand an end of Israel’s “unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible” and build momentum towards a two-state solution.
The Opposition Leader said the move means Labor has sold out Australia’s Jewish community.
Israel’s Ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon, during a media interview, expressed his disappointment with the vote but did not blame the government for the rise in antisemitism in Australia.
“I don’t hold the government, the Albanese government, responsible for the rise,” he said.
“But I do urge the Albanese government to take all necessary actions and steps in order to uproot this ugly phenomena and to make sure that Jewish people, whether they live in Canberra or in Melbourne and Sydney or elsewhere, will feel safe and secure.”
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