Liberals pledge $600,000 for CSG
'The state government should be there to protect you, not just with laws about the swastika but financial support to keep this operation going, and that is what we intend to do'
If elected, a Liberal Government would provide $600,000 to the Community Security Group (CSG) to expand and maintain its Control Room, CCTV capability and train volunteers with a focus on a new women’s empowerment program.
The announcement was made exclusively to The AJN on Monday by deputy Liberal leader and Caulfield MP David Southwick, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy and deputy leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Georgie Crozier at CSG’s new premises.
“We have already achieved success in legislating a ban on the Nazi Swastika and with hate on the rise this funding will assist with enforcement and support to keep our community safe,” Southwick said.
“The CSG volunteers play such a vital role for our community, they give up their weekends to keep the community safe and their work makes a genuine difference. This project is all about supporting their hard work.”
Southwick noted that many of his colleagues are shocked to learn that the Jewish community requires armed security at schools and childcare centres for security.
Guy said, “When you see that the community has taken so many proactive steps to help themselves, that’s when you know the government needs to come in and help them … they shouldn’t be having to do it all by themselves.
“That is why a government commitment like this is exceptionally important because it says you aren’t alone and the community is not alone. The state government should be there to protect you, not just with laws about the swastika but financial support to keep this operation going, and that is what we intend to do.”
CSG CEO Justin Kagan welcomed the announcement.
“We have worked with David Southwick for a long time and have been able to show him the tremendous impact our work has on the continued safety and security of the community,” he said.
In recent months, CSG has detected a spike in antisemitism online targeting the Victorian Jewish Community. In Victoria, antisemitic graffiti has more than doubled from 2020 to 2021 and there has been more than a 30 per cent increase in antisemitic incidents.
Liberal candidate for Bellarine Donnie Grigau, who is Asian, recently had a number of his posters defaced with swastikas and homophobic images.
Condemning the graffiti attack Southwick stated, “The abhorrent and cowardly attack has highlighted the use of the Nazi swastika as a tool of hate against not only Jews, but those from a range of ethnicities and diverse sexualities.
“Unfortunately under the Andrews Labor Government’s legislation – the criminalisation of the use of this symbol was delayed by six months and will not come into effect until later this year. It could never be clearer that this symbol has no place in Victoria and that its use should be banned, not in six months’ time but immediately.”
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