Antisemitism has no place in Australia
Antisemitism is an old, dark and insidious hatred that has plagued every society throughout history.
o deal with the rise in antisemitism, we have taken the important but unprecedented step in Australia to appoint a Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism.
There’s no denying that for the past 10 months, social cohesion has been under threat, and for our community, we have felt it every day. The gates of my former school Mount Scopus were plastered with the words “Jews Die”. The names and workplaces of my friends were published online. And just over a month ago vandals attacked my electorate office in scenes that haunted us of the old antisemitism of broken shopfronts.
Antisemitism is an old, dark and insidious hatred that has plagued every society throughout history. From the far-right to the far-left, the Jewish community has been the scapegoat.
There have been a number of government initiatives since October 7. We have given an extra $25 million to improve Jewish communal security. We are introducing new legislation to deal with online doxxing, and the Attorney-General is currently developing proposals to strengthen hate speech laws. We have been working with law enforcement and security agencies to ensure those who break the law are held to account. And we have loudly and clearly called out antisemitism for what it is.
Our history shows us that there is no easy fix to combating antisemitism, but we must continue to do all we can. And clearly, there is more to do.
There are 35 countries around the world who have antisemitism envoys, including Deborah Lipstadt in the US. Their role is to lead the efforts to combat antisemitism, working alongside government, government agencies and community groups to coordinate research, policy development and education programs.
In the American context, Lipstadt saw the need for a “whole society” approach and worked with the Biden administration to produce the US National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.
Like many in our community, I have watched the work of envoys overseas closely, and I was proud to stand alongside the Prime Minister at the Sydney Jewish Museum as we announced Jillian Segal AO as Australia’s first Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism.
As I stood in the halls of the Sydney Jewish Museum I was reminded of its history. For decades the Maccabean Hall was a place of celebration, community and culture for the Sydney Jewish community. That building tells the story of the Australian Jewish community. It exemplifies our contributions to modern Australia in every area.
Our story is part of the Australian story, and inside the walls of the museum thousands of school children every year learn not only about our heritage but about the perils of discrimination and bigotry – no matter who it’s directed against.
Because that is what our community is about. No matter what our community faces, we continue to persevere, to contribute to society and to stand up against hatred. As the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks said, “The hate that starts with Jews never ends with Jews.”
And when one Australian community feels scared to be who they are, that is a problem for our whole nation. Which is why the appointment of a Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism is so vital, because combating antisemitism is not a task for the Jewish community to do alone.
Jillian’s role is to amplify our community’s voice, to advise government and government agencies about the challenges we face, to work with civil society organisations to promote education and most importantly, her appointment sends a loud and clear message across the Australian community; that hatred is not tolerated.
While Jillian will work tirelessly with government, the position is not just about policy – it’s a call to action for every Australian, a reminder we all have a role to play in protecting our social cohesion.
I know the last thing the Jewish community wants is for antisemitism to be used to score political points, so at every opportunity I have sought to work with my colleagues across the aisle in the community’s interest. The reality is, the way we combat discrimination and hatred is by listening and amplifying the voices of those impacted and by working productively across partisan and societal lines.
The Special Envoy has been appointed for three years, so the role and office will continue after the next election and serve whoever the government of the day is.
Australia is a place where we can learn and listen to one another respectfully, and regardless of our differences we share a commitment to act against forces who try to disrupt the very thing that makes our country so unique – our multiculturalism.
Last week, Jillian joined envoys from around the world in Argentina, and they released the global guidelines for countering antisemitism. The guidelines emphasise the importance of speaking out, avoiding politicisation, adopting whole society action plans, understanding antisemitism, documenting data, educating society and working together across borders.
I am proud that Australia now has a seat at the table and with Jillian at the helm, we will play an active role in these efforts.
Antisemitism has no place in Australia, and I will continue to work for our community to ensure the government allocates the resources and takes appropriate action to combat it – in all its forms.
Josh Burns is the Federal Member
for Macnamara.
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