Jewish groups slam minister’s delay on antisemitism plan

Jewish community leaders have expressed disappointment after Education Minister Jason Clare indicated he would delay implementing recommendations from the government’s antisemitism plan until receiving a separate report on Islamophobia.

Clare told reporters he would not look at antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal’s plan “in isolation”, saying the government would wait for the special envoy on combatting Islamophobia to deliver his report next month before considering recommendations.

Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubenstein said the minister’s approach was “flawed” and showed a “lack of seriousness” in tackling the antisemitism crisis.

“There is absolutely no reason to conflate the antisemitism crisis with this separate issue,” he said. “Doing so risks giving the impression that politics, not best policy outcomes, are motivating the Government’s response to the antisemitism plan.”

Rubenstein said the antisemitism crisis remained urgent, as demonstrated by hate crime statistics and recent events in Melbourne. He said any delay in implementing Segal’s plan suggested “hesitation that neither the Australian Jewish Community nor broader Australian society can afford”.