Special Envoy to combat antisemitism calls for action

The Australian Jewish community is deep in grief following the Bondi terrorist attack on Sunday, that killed at least 15 people and injured over forty, and many have expressed anger that the federal Government should have heeded warnings about the lethal dangers of antisemitism.

Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal released her report on countering antisemitism in Australia in July, and the Government has only acted on some of her recommendations.

Speaking to The AJN, Segal said she understands the community’s frustration, “I sympathise with everyone and pass on my condolences to all those who have been family of those who have been killed and those have been injured. It’s a very natural sentiment, and I think what we have to do is consider what needs to be done now because that’s the most constructive way to approach this – the current terrible situation.

“The most constructive thing that can be done is for us to work out what are the measures that are the most urgent to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again. We have to learn from this terrible tragedy…. The whole community now understands the dangers of antisemitism, that it’s not just a Jewish community problem, but it’s a problem for the country and for the future of our nation,” she said.

The Government has acted on some initiatives before Segal’s plan was announced, including criminalising hate speech, creating a national student ombudsman to investigate universities, developing a university report card for the inclusivity of Jewish students and staff, and improved screening for antisemitism in immigration.

Segal met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and federal Ministers Tony Burke and Anne Aly on Tuesday, where she outlined the next steps required of her plan and conveyed the government’s need for a response.

The areas she identified for acceleration to counter antisemitism include action on education, social media, policies for the arts and health sectors, as well as the effective implementation of hate speech laws.

In relation to the normalisation of antisemitism in speech, such as chants of ‘Globalise the Intifada’ heard at protests, which can incite terror, Segal remarked, “I think hateful language leads to hateful actions. So, we saw some of that hateful language in the forecourt of the Opera House two years ago, and we’ve seen it at marches and demonstrations.

“That’s not to in any way say we are not a country that values and guards against infringements on free speech, but free speech is different to hate speech, and we have to understand that, and we have to ensure the guardrails for what is permitted are in a fair position to guard against this normalisation of antisemitism that we’ve seen, and so to counter that normalisation is going to take a lot of work. Cultural change is hard, and we’re going to need many initiatives, but I think that we at least now have the support of the general community, because they realise where hate goes.”

Discussing the Government’s plan to act on gun laws Segal commented that while it could be important, action had to be taken on antisemitism, “This is about antisemitism. It wasn’t just a random shooter. They were shooting at the Jewish community, so it was targeted and it was fuelled by antisemitism, and that is what we have to tackle.”

Prime Minister Albanese convened national cabinet on Monday and received support from state and territory leaders to develop stronger gun control measures. Former Prime Minister John Howard has called the attention  on gun reforms as a distraction from countering antisemitism.

On her message to Australian Jews who are wondering whether Australia is still a safe country to live and raise their children, she said that we shouldn’t take this tragedy as the defining example of why Australia is not safe. “What I do think we need to do is make a judgment as to the response to this. If there’s a strong response from Government and from community more generally, then we can feel more secure, and if it’s brushed off, then I think it is more of a worry.

“I think it will be very important that we monitor what is the response of Government, and hopefully it is as I hope it will be, with some accelerated work and the implementation of my plan, because it is cultural change we need, and that will take many years,” she said.

Segal noted that amid this horrific attack it was also important to acknowledge the brave first responders – including police officers injured, and Ahmed Al Ahmed who disarmed a gunman and is currently in hospital with with gunshot wounds.

“I think it’s important that we recognise the fabulous work that was done by the first responders and the police and by the brave individual, a citizen who put his life at risk, as well as the police officers who did, and we should continue to be very grateful for the support through the government of the police service and what they do to keep the Jewish community as safe as they possibly can.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended the Government’s response to addressing antisemitism, telling ABC radio on Tuesday,“We adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism. I’ve made it clear that that’s my government’s position,” adding, “There wasn’t an anti-Semitism envoy before our government established one, and anti-Semitism didn’t begin in 2022.”

Former treasurer Josh  Frydenberg has called for a public inquiry into the terror attack  and demanded answers on why the Albanese Government has not acted on all the recommendations made by Segal, stating “We need action, not words”.