National Cabinet Urged to Convene in Response to Rising Anti-Semitism in Australia

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Jillian Segal, Australia's special envoy for anti-Semitism, has called for a national cabinet meeting to address the growing incidents of anti-Semitic attacks across the country. This plea follows a summer marked by alarming acts of hatred against Jewish Australians.

🇦🇺 Australia: There's an Antisemitism Emergency in Australia, yet Anthony Albanese is rejecting calls for meaningful and tougher action.

Albanese is also refusing to acknowledge that his government's hostile and innaccurate accusations against Israel, have fueled antisemitism in… pic.twitter.com/VdKz1Jn1kp

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Recent events include a terror attack on a Melbourne synagogue and an attempted arson at a Newtown synagogue in Sydney, both of which were marred by swastika graffiti. Other incidents involved the torching of cars and anti-Jewish vandalism. In response to this surge in hate crimes, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with key officials, including NSW Acting Premier Penny Sharpe, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw, to discuss further action.

 

Segal expressed her approval of the meeting as a positive initial step but emphasized the need for broader involvement from other state premiers. She highlighted the importance of coordinated state responses and stronger sentencing for anti-Semitic crimes, arguing that such acts are not merely property damage but intentional efforts to instill fear within the Jewish community.

 

"The law provides for an aggravated hate crime overlay on top of a normal sentence, but it's essential that the judiciary recognizes the broader implications of these crimes," Segal stated. "Failing to address this effectively undermines our democracy."

 

The push for a national cabinet meeting gained further support from Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who underscored the necessity of a decisive national response. Wong agreed with Segal, noting that anti-Semitism affects not only the Jewish community but the fabric of Australian society as a whole.

 

"This prejudice and criminal behavior is an attack on Australian values and requires united action," Wong said.

 

Labor MP Josh Burns, representing the Macnamara district where the Addas Israel Synagogue was attacked, also backed the call for a national approach, especially in states with significant Jewish populations. He noted that a nationally consistent strategy would be beneficial.

 

 

Prime Minister Albanese reassured that his government is actively responding to these issues, citing Segal's satisfaction with the recent meeting involving NSW and Victoria. Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton reiterated his long-standing call for a national cabinet meeting, highlighting that the Coalition had been advocating for this since October 2023, in the wake of the Hamas terror attack on Israel and the subsequent Gaza conflict.

 

The consensus among leaders points to the urgent need for unified and robust action to combat anti-Semitism in Australia, safeguarding the rights and security of the Jewish community and upholding the country's democratic principles.

 

Based on a report by ABC | Sky News 2024-01-17