Aiming for Kooyong

Labor’s Peter Lynch says he is “quite happy” to support the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.

Lynch told The AJN that he had recently been educated on the workings of the definition “from a couple of Jewish members”.

“I’m very strongly in favour of that in general terms of Holocaust remembrance, and education of young people about the Holocaust,” he added.

Addressing the antisemitic graffiti that was found on his opponent Josh Frydenberg’s campaign signs, Lynch said, “There’s absolutely no place for any such forms of hateful, historic symbols, such as the swastika being put on election material.”

Speaking on the pandemic, Lynch said, “I think we possibly could have a more cohesive approach to a pandemic-type crisis, with a new Commonwealth body, which could be the single point of truth and Labor is proposing [that].”

The importance of manufacturing is another lesson Lynch believes the pandemic highlighted.

“We really had a crisis because we were totally dependent on imports for some of the personal protection equipment, and there were shortages and difficulties there,” he said.

“So [the pandemic] highlighted the importance of making things in Australia.”

Also important to Lynch is the issue of climate change.

“My family are very strong climate change activists,” he said.

“I believe Labor has a very strong policy and as strong as it has for many election cycles.”

Lynch also addressed the past actions of the Labor party regarding climate change, saying they “provided strong policies on climate change action, really set up the framework during the Rudd/Gillard government, for action for the nation on climate change”.

On Israel, Lynch said, “I stand where Labor stands, which is in support of a two-state solution.”

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