A defining moment for Australia

Despite any differences of opinion we might have, in Australia we agree on certain fundamental red lines.

The conflict in the Middle East has catalysed a surge in antisemitic incidents. Ancient myths and stereotypes have resurfaced in modern guises, fuelling hostility and justifying violence. These narratives are particularly dangerous because they aim to create social tensions that can be mobilised toward hate-driven actions.

The escalation of antisemitism in Australia has manifested in various forms – from social isolation and verbal abuse to online harassment, physical violence and vandalism.

Notable incidents include hate-filled chants outside the Sydney Opera House and the firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne. These acts have shocked us and underscored the vulnerability of Jewish Australians in a climate increasingly shaped by misinformation, extremist ideologies and manipulated narratives on social media.

The revelations relating to the activities in Australia of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps highlight the interest of foreign intelligence services in fomenting social division and targeting Jews in the few remaining liberal democracies, and are a wake up call. As is the awful truth that there are some Australians happy to take money to target Jews.

On this last point it was incredibly disturbing to hear an ABC journalist describe these criminal attacks as “not legitimate antisemitism”. As if there were “legitimate antisemitism”. And the entire history of antisemitism has been coloured by ulterior motives such as theft and personal gain.

The special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, has described the situation as a national crisis. Her office released a comprehensive plan this year outlining strategic areas for action, including law reform, education, digital governance, institutional accountability, and community engagement including interfaith dialogue. The plan emphasises that antisemitism is not merely a Jewish issue but a threat to the democratic values of fairness, freedom and mutual respect that underpin Australian society.

One of the most concerning challenges is the higher education sector. In February 2025, all 39 Australian universities endorsed a unified definition of antisemitism, developed in consultation with Jewish community leaders and the special envoy’s office. This definition explicitly bans calls for the elimination of Israel and recognises that substituting the word “Zionist” for “Jew” does not negate the antisemitic nature of certain rhetoric.

It is worth noting that the term “zio” as a substitute for “Jew” was popularised by David Duke, the US leader of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s. It has been given new life as a way of channelling hate. A shocking illustration of this is the footage of Oxford University students proudly unveiling a new chant they described as having “workshopped” of “Gaza, Gaza make us proud, put the zios in the ground.” Weapons were seized from the family home of Samuel Williams, the student who led the chant that his audience so happily joined in with.

In this context I am put in mind of the words of Dr Martin Luther King, when he stated, “When people criticise Zionists, they mean Jews. You are talking antisemitism.”

Jewish students on our campuses have increasingly reported feeling unsafe or marginalised. By codifying what constitutes antisemitism, universities aim to foster a more inclusive environment and ensure that legitimate political discourse does not cross into hate speech. What is shameful to me, however, is the way some Australian academics have encouraged all this with their distortion of facts and the law.

I have seen people claiming to be legal experts completely misrepresenting the issue of genocide and misinterpreting the laws of armed conflict. They have been exemplars of the Natan Sharansky theory of 3D antisemitism – the constituent elements being demonisation, delegitimisation and double standards.

Watching the reporting of some journalists in all this, who should know better, has been equally disturbing. They have credulously recycled material that is blatantly false and cast some of those most inclined to promoting a violent message as “peace activists”. One ABC journalist who heads a radio program stated in correspondence to a colleague of mine that it was “perfectly legitimate” to say that “the Jews are a cruel people”.

More encouraging has been the 2025 Australian Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, held recently on the Gold Coast and chaired by Tom Tate. This brought together over 250 local leaders, community advocates and religious figures. The summit emphasised the role of municipalities in confronting hate at the grassroots level.

The summit’s message was clear: hate has no place in Australian communities, and proactive leadership is essential to ensure safety and belonging for all.

Australia’s confrontation with antisemitism is a defining moment in its social and political landscape. The path forward requires sustained vigilance, empathy, and collaboration. Antisemitism is a complex and evolving challenge, but with coordinated action and moral clarity, Australia can ensure that its Jewish citizens – and all minority communities – live free from fear and discrimination.

This is why I invite all those who care about the safety, social and democratic health of this country to help us to confront the process of “othering”. Help us to build a National Memorial Holocaust Education Centre that will have this mission as its beacon.

Finally let us recall and be guided by the powerful theorem voiced by Martin Luther King: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Mike Kelly is a former ADF soldier, Labor government minister and the co-convenor of Labor Friends of Israel.

This is an edited version of his speech from the Australians Against Antisemitism event in Canberra on Sunday, October 26.

Mike Kelly is a former ADF soldier, Labor government minister and the co-convenor of Labor Friends of Israel.