December 10, 2024
Anthony Albanese has been condemned by members of the Jewish community for playing tennis in Perth a day after a Melbourne synagogue was firebombed in a dawn terror attack.
The Prime Minister was yet to attend the Adass Israel Synagogue on Monday, saying he would visit "this week".
It comes as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton visited the synagogue yesterday, labelling Friday's attack an "abomination".
Mr Albanese is facing criticism for spending three days on a "long arranged" trip to Perth while the Ripponlea shule was still smouldering, after photos emerged of him playing tennis on Saturday.
Zionism Victoria president Elyse Schachna said Mr Albanese's decision to have a hit at Cottesloe Tennis Club rather than visit the synagogue was "disappointing".
"The Prime Minister has made it perfectly clear who he wants on his court," she said.
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said Mr Albanese's exercise routine was "not more important than the national interest".
"A real leader would have got on the first flight to Melbourne to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community in their time of need," Senator Paterson said.
Mr Albanese defended his tennis match against former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill, saying he had "six appointments on Saturday".
"After they had concluded, late in the afternoon, I did some exercise. That's what people do," he said.
"On Saturday morning I was in a synagogue ... I attended the bar mitzvah of a young boy there and I was very much welcomed there."
Mr Albanese and security and police chiefs announced on Monday a dedicated taskforce to tackle anti-Semitism following the firebombing, the arson attack on Labor MP Josh Burns' electorate office and the Sydney Woollahra car vandalism incident.
The announcement came two days after former treasurer Josh Frydenberg called for such a taskforce, as the Coalition called for a meeting of the powerful national security committee.
On Monday Senator Paterson said: "A day late and a dollar short perfectly sums up the Albanese government's approach to national security and community safety."
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said special operation Avalite would consist of an experienced squad of counterterrorism investigators who would focus on threats, violence and hatred towards the Australian Jewish community and parliamentarians.
This includes such acts as urging violence against members or groups, advocating terrorism or genocide, and using a carriage service to make a threat and using a carriage service to menace or harass.
"This needs to stop," Mr Kershaw said. "The AFP will not tolerate crimes that undermine Australia's security or our way of life."
Asked if he would convene a national cabinet meeting following opposition pressure to address the national crisis, Mr Albanese said: "If people want to have a phone hook-up, I'm very welcome for that to occur."
Ahead of his visit to the Glen Eira Rd shule yesterday, Mr Dutton pledged that a Coalition government would establish a dedicated anti-Semitism taskforce to prioritise outstanding complaints and unsolved crimes against the Jewish community since Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel last year.
He proposed changes to the character test in the Migration Act to ensure anti-Semitic conduct over the past 14 months is captured by the law, with the taskforce to refer any visa holders involved in such acts for immediate cancellation and deportation.
Mr Dutton also promised to deliver funding for armed guards at schools and synagogues.
He claimed that "strong action and stronger national leadership" could have prevented the firebombing at the Adass Israel Synagogue.
"When you hear of the impact on young children, elderly parents within the community, it truly is an abomination," Mr Dutton said. "We need to make sure that the anti-Semitism that has now become commonplace in our society is repelled at every opportunity, and we need to make sure that as a society, we stand united with the Jewish community and let them know that we do not tolerate any act of anti-Semitism in our country."
Former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni also visited the site, saying it was the right step to declare the attack an act of terrorism and that there was a "need to combat anti-Semitism".
Mr Dutton took aim at Labor MP Josh Burns, claiming he "hasn't stood up to a weak Prime Minister".
But Mr Burns said he had spent "every day" working as hard as he could with his community and standing up for them.
"It doesn't serve the Jewish community to be fighting amongst the political class," the Jewish MP said.
"Peter Dutton can say whatever he likes about me, I honestly couldn't care less.
"The community is hurting, and we need to do more to ensure that they remain safe in this wonderful country."
Multicultural Affairs Minister Tony Burke has also come under fire for failing to attend a meeting with his state and territory counterparts from across the country on the day the synagogue was torched.
Mr Burke is meant to head the Ministerial Forum on Multicultural Affairs, but at its biannual meeting on Friday it was instead chaired in his absence by assistant minister Julian Hill.
Mr Burke didn't respond to questions about why he didn't attend the meeting, instead issuing a statement about what action he had taken in his role as multicultural and home affairs minister since Friday's horror attack.
The Minister also said he intended to visit the Adass Israel Synagogue "in the coming days".
He had been criticised by the Coalition for not being visible enough in the wake of the attack, which gutted the synagogue.
"As I've said repeatedly, I condemn this disgusting and evil attack in the strongest possible terms. Anti-Semitism has no place in Australia. I hope the police quickly find whoever is responsible and throw the book at them," Mr Burke said.
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess again urged everyone to watch their words, warning that "inflamed language leads to inflamed tension and can lead to violence".