Greens barred from forum
ECAJ and ZFA's strong condemnation
A Macnamara candidates’ forum co-hosted by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) will go ahead next week with just Labor MP Josh Burns and Liberal candidate Benson Saulo, after the possible presence of Greens candidate Sonya Semmens prompted criticism from Jewish roof bodies.
The prospect of including a Greens candidate in the forum on 9 April attracted strong comments from both the Executive Council and the cil of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) and the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA).
ECAJ President Danel Aghion told the AJN that since 7 October the Greens party “has shown itself time and again to be a peddler of antisemitic hatred”.
“A NSW Greens MP accused us of using our “tentacles” to try and influence power. A chief of staff said that the Adass Israel firebombing could very well have been a “Zionist false flag”. Neither were removed from the party as they should have been,” he said.
Aghion said by allowing such people to remain in senior positions, the Greens have tolerated behaviour that has no place in Australian political life.
“The Jewish community should have nothing to do with them”, he said.
ZFA President Jeremy Leibler stated that providing a platform to the Greens candidate “legitimises a political party that has consistently and knowingly fuelled antisemitism in this country.”
Leibler pointed to what he described as the Greens’ role in “emboldening” antisemitism through rhetoric that “delegitimised the State of Israel, vilified the Jewish community, and ignored or diminished the trauma of October 7 and its aftermath.”
“This is not about restricting political debate. It is about upholding principle and reflecting the views of the community, that is our responsibility as representative roof bodies,” Leibler emphasised.
“If a far-right party known for promoting neo-Nazi conspiracy theories were contesting Macnamara, we would not legitimise them by sharing a stage. The same standard must apply to parties that demonise the Jewish people and the Jewish state.”
“At a time when Israel is fighting a war on multiple fronts and the Jewish community is experiencing unprecedented levels of hatred, we cannot give the Greens an equal platform,” Leibler said.
“Doing so sends a message, regardless of intent, that their positions are within the bounds of acceptable public discourse.”
The Greens candidate in Macnamara, Sony Semmens, described the decision not to include her as disappointing.
“It means the Jewish community won’t have the chance to hear from all political candidates and make their vote count to the fullest. I have been working hard to listen to all members of the Jewish community, and even when we differ in our views I’ve felt those conversations have been important and valuable”, she told the AJN.
Semmens believes she and the Greens have been very clear in rejecting antisemitism, and was looking forward to attending the forum to outline the Greens’ plan to respond to the rising spectre of antisemitism, as well as other significant issues such as housing and the cost of living.
“I would ask the JCCV to reconsider this position, but no matter the outcome will continue to seek connection and have conversations with the Jewish community directly to the election and beyond”, Semmens said.
Forum tickets are available here.
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