McKim claim about ‘captured by Zionist interests’ targeted

Melbourne Jewish activist Menachem Vorchheimer has had his racial hatred complaint against Greens senator Nick McKim formally accepted by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).

The complaint, lodged under sections 18C and 18E of the Racial Discrimination Act, concerns Senator McKim’s claim that the Australian Government had been “captured by Zionist interests”. The Australian Greens are named as a second respondent.

Senator McKim first made the remark in the Senate on 20 August. After Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler wrote an open letter asking him to withdraw it, Senator McKim repeated the claim on social media, saying he had reflected on his statement and offered “as my response, the truth”.

Mr Vorchheimer said his complaint covered only the subsequent statements made outside Parliament, which are not protected by parliamentary privilege.

“Zionists are people. As Justice Nettle noted in the case Catch the Fire Ministries, ‘it is essential to keep the distinction between hatred of beliefs and hatred of their adherents steadily in view.’ In simple terms, criticising a religious or political belief is inherently different from vilifying the people who hold it. My action asks whether Senator McKim’s words crossed that line,” he told The AJN.