Dreyfus reveals antisemitic abuse

Over 20,000 submissions have been received by the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, including from Isaacs MP Mark Dreyfus, detailing antisemitic abuse levelled against him, and recommendations for law reform.

The former Attorney-General told The AJN it was important that the Royal Commission heard from all kinds of Australians.

“I thought it was important for me to contribute both as a Jewish Australian and as a member of Parliament,” he said.

“My father and his father came to Australia, fleeing Nazi persecution. My great-grandparents perished in the Holocaust. That history has shaped my life and shaped my public service.

“Australia gave my family refuge and I want Australia to remain a country where Jewish Australians and all Australians can live safely and equally. And it carries an obligation to name antisemitism clearly to confront it early. To ensure that no Australian feels that their place here is conditional.”