December 9, 2024
The Coalition has pledged to establish a dedicated national taskforce aimed at combating rising antisemitism across Australia.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton made the announcement in Melbourne on Monday after a synagogue was targeted in a suspected arson attack on Friday.
The Adass Israel Synagogue was allegedly broken into by three men who poured liquid on the floor and set the building ablaze with worshippers inside.
Following the attack, Mr Dutton announced an antisemitism taskforce led by the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and other law enforcement and intelligence bodies.
The taskforce would focus on addressing offences including doxing, hate speech, terror symbols, incitement, harassment and other crimes.
Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson said the taskforce would be “up and running from day one” of a Dutton Coalition government after the next election.
The taskforce would investigate any future acts of antisemitism as well as any outstanding complaints or unsolved crimes against the Jewish community since October 7, 2023.
The opposition has blamed the Albanese government’s “weakness” for the rising level of antisemitism in Australia.
“The Prime Minister's failure to lead and his weakness since October 7 has directly led to the tragic events that we saw at the Adass Israel synagogue,” Mr Paterson said.
The Opposition Leader said antisemitism had been “exacerbated over the last 13 months”.
“The government’s initial response to the protests on the steps of the Sydney Opera House was completely inadequate,” Mr Dutton said.
“The months of hatred displayed on university campuses and in public forums have been completely unacceptable.
“The blatant racism against people of Jewish faith has been obvious and pervasive.”
There have been many anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incidents since the October 7 attacks, including the Sydney Opera House protests where “gas the Jews” was chanted.
There were then months of university encampments protesting ties to Israel, which were investigated by police for unlawful behaviour.
Mr Dutton blamed Mr Albanese for allowing a climate of antisemitism to fester and said the recent firebombing attack was “entirely predictable”.
“I just think it's dangerous that the Prime Minister's been so weak for all of his time in office,” he said.
“It was entirely predictable that there was going to be an attack on a mosque or on a school or some other place of gathering.
“The armed guards at Jewish schools are there because of the threat level. They're not at Christian schools. They're not at Islamic schools.
“That is the level of threat that is faced by the Jewish community. And it's been exacerbated by the Prime Minister's incompetence.”
Mr Albanese expressed concern about the “worrying rise in antisemitism” but maintained he had consistently “called out” incidents.
“We've done a range of programs. We've had a landmark ban on the Nazi salute and hate symbols that came into effect in January of this year,” he said on Sunday.
“We've appointed Jillian Segal as Australia's first ever envoy on anti-Semitism.
“We have criminalised doxing in legislation that was passed just a week ago as part of our privacy laws legislation.”
The Coalition’s policy measures have gone further still, with strengthened provisions under the Migration Act.
The changes will ensure immigrants engaging in anti-Semitic conduct would be deported by a Dutton government.
“We will amend Section 501 of the character provisions of the Migration Act to ensure that this anti-Semitic conduct is captured by the law,” Mr Paterson said.
The Coalition has also pledged a $32.5 million funding package for the Jewish community, ensuring armed guards at schools, synagogues and community centres.
