December 9, 2024
BEN FORDHAM: But first of all we want to talk to Senator James Paterson because the Prime Minister has been blamed for an attack on a synagogue in Melbourne. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has issued a statement over the weekend. He says it's impossible to separate this reprehensible act from the extreme anti-Israel position of the Labor government in Australia. That's from Benjamin Netanyahu. The pressure was then on the PM to label the synagogue attack a terror incident. Anthony Albanese refused to budge on Friday and Saturday, but by Sunday he caved labelling the incident a terror incident. Senator James Patterson is the shadow Minister for Home Affairs and he's on the line. Senator, good morning to you.
JAMES PATERSON: Good morning, Ben.
FORDHAM: It feels like he was pushed into saying that.
PATERSON: Well, isn't this just typical of the Prime Minister's response to every crisis, particularly a national security crisis or a community safety crisis? It's slow and weak. He can't find the right words. And he certainly can't find the right actions in response to justified community outrage and fear in response to a very serious terrorist attack.
FORDHAM: Isn't it over the top, though, for Benjamin Netanyahu to link the Prime Minister to a firebombing?
PATERSON: Well, I understand why the Israeli Prime Minister is angry because, frankly, he's shown more interest and concern about the anti-semitism crisis in our country than our own Prime Minister has since the 7th of October. I mean, the Jewish community and the Opposition have been warning the Prime Minister almost every day over the last 14 months that if he didn't take this crisis seriously, then something tragic would happen. And unfortunately, those worst fears have been realised with this shocking firebombing of a synagogue. And the Prime Minister, I think, does stand accused of not having taken stronger action earlier to stop this from escalating. He didn't recognise this for the cancer that it is in our society. He didn't recognise it for the threat that it is to our national security and he's let it get completely out of hand.
FORDHAM: You're a Senator from Victoria. Melbourne has one of the biggest Jewish communities in the country. How nervous are people right now in that community?
PATERSON: They are in serious fear and distress. I was at a community vigil yesterday morning. About 1,000 people turned up and dozens and dozens of people came up to me to tell me how unsafe and unwelcome they feel in their own country. I mean, this is a Jewish community that has a very high proportion of Holocaust survivors and their descendants. And it brings back terrible memories for them. And it feels deeply shocking to them because Australia has been such a safe haven for the Jewish community, particularly since the end of World War Two, but dating back even earlier than that. It's been one of those rare countries in the world that's never practiced institutionalised discrimination against Jews and now they are calling into question how safe and welcome they are in their own country.
FORDHAM: What should the PM be doing now to make people feel safe?
PATERSON: Well, I am surprised that we're now into the fourth day after the crisis, and not only has the Prime Minister not visited the synagogue, but he hasn't even sent a senior national security minister from his cabinet to attend. The Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles hasn't attended, the Attorney-General hasn't shown up. The Minister for Home Affairs hasn't shown up. The Foreign Minister hasn't shown up. I mean it would have been a simple act of solidarity for one of them to show up, to stand by the community at this time of need. I mean, the Minister for Home Affairs, who's responsible for counter-terrorism, haven't even done a media interview. He hasn't even held a press conference. I mean, that is just unbelievable to me that in a serious crisis like this, we've got a Home Affairs minister missing in action.
FORDHAM: Yeah, We should just point out the authorities haven't labelled it a terror attack, but the Prime Minister says in his eyes, that's what it is. We appreciate you jumping on the line, Senator, and Merry Christmas to you.
PATERSON: Thanks, Ben. You, too.
ENDS