Unanimous motion carried to tackle antisemitism

In what former Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) national vice-president Zac Morris described as “an incredibly welcome shift of sentiment”, a motion he co-wrote with Tanna Klevansky was unanimously passed at last weekend’s NSW Young Labor conference, to implement a six-point plan to tackle antisemitism.

Key actions will include establishing a cross-factional Jewish Working Group to advise the executive on matters relating to antisemitism, inclusion and representation; and hosting an annual NSW Young Labor Shabbat dinner to promote greater understanding.

Other measures include annual training for the NSW Young Labor Executive on recognising and addressing antisemitism; reviewing the Code of Conduct to ensure antisemitic behaviour and other forms of hate speech and discrimination are explicitly prohibited; introducing stricter background checks for student election candidates, and ensuring Young Labor events are scheduled in ways that allow members of all faiths, including observant Jews, to participate.

The motion’s preamble noted “an increased sense of isolation among the organisation’s Jewish members”, who have been “pushed away by our growing tolerance for intolerance”.

Past examples cited include “bigotry at branch meetings going unchallenged” and a lack of consultation.