Spender: ‘I have your back’
Spender said fighting antisemitism will continue to be a top priority for her this term.
After reclaiming the seat of Wentworth, Allegra Spender has a message for the Jewish community: “I have your back.”
Spender easily retained the seat that she first won at the 2022 election after a hard-fought campaign against Liberal challenger Ro Knox. She told The AJN that she has always been a friend and will continue to make sure the Jewish community’s voice is heard in Parliament.
“I take my responsibilities as a Member of Parliament with the biggest Jewish community incredibly seriously,” she said.
“And I’m a very proud advocate for the community in Parliament. More widely, I want the community to know that you can rely on me and that I will always be there for you.”
In addition to focusing more broadly on the economy, climate concerns and mental health particularly among young people, Spender said fighting antisemitism will continue to be a top priority for her this term.
“I will continue to work very closely with AUJS, particularly about whether the recommendations from the parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism have been being effective on campus,” she said.
“So the focus will be on universities, but there will be a very strong focus more broadly on education and trying to reach out across both state and federal lines. I will continue doing what I did before in Wentworth, which is bringing parts of the Jewish community and non-Jewish community together so that non-Jewish educational institutions understand what Jewish students have been going through.”
Spender said she is passionate about fighting to protect the Jewish community, as well as multicultural and multi-faith Australia, which is why she has also pledged to continue to pursue law reform around hate speech. She has been pushing for hate speech laws to include “serious vilification”, which is modelled on Western Australia’s racial vilification laws that have been active since 2004 and that carry a maximum punishment of 14 years of jail.
“I still see that as a threat, not just to the Jewish community, but to other minority groups including the LGBTQIA+ community,” said Spender.
Spender attended the Yom Ha’atzmaut cocktail function on Tuesday evening and said she is planning to visit Israel during her term. She is grateful for the messages of support and wants the community to know that her door is always open.
“As always, I will continue to respond to what the community is telling me are the most important priorities,” she said.
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