Victoria to forge medical partnership with Israel
'A country is more than its government — a country is about its people,' Premier says
The Victorian government will pursue a formal, long-term medical research partnership with Israel’s leading hospitals, Premier Jacinta Allan announced at Melbourne’s annual Parliamentary Cocktail Reception marking Israel’s 78th Independence Day this week.
Allan, attending for the third time as Premier, said Victoria’s world-class medical research sector and Israeli innovation complemented each other, pointing to Israeli breakthroughs including the PillCam, exoskeleton technology for people with paralysis, and AI-driven cancer detection.
She said the new partnership would build on smaller existing arrangements, including an agreement with Sheba Medical Centre signed by Deputy Premier Ben Carroll during a visit to Israel. “I want Victoria to share once again in these breakthroughs, not just admire them from afar,” Allan said.
The Premier used the occasion to argue that governments needed to talk more about Israel, not less — and to do so in fuller terms than recent years had allowed. She said she feared young Australians were in danger of permanently judging Israel by the actions of its government rather than its people, and that reversing that required actively promoting Israel’s identity as a multilingual, multiracial democracy and a global leader in science, medicine and technology.
“A country is more than its government — a country is about its people,” she said.
Allan also acknowledged the impact of the Bondi Beach terror attack of December 14, 2025, saying the community had endured much since October 7. She cited the passage of Victoria’s anti-vilification laws, the banning of terrorist symbols, and Operation Park — which she said had resulted in a dozen arrests and 167 investigations in 2026 alone.
Opposition leader Jess Wilson said Israel was not simply a nation overseas for those in the room but a place where family, faith and history lived. She said her visit to Israel had left a deep impression, and that under her leadership Zionism would never be treated as a slur.
“Zionism is not a slur, but a proud reflection of the Jewish people and their ancestral and spiritual connection to the land of Israel,” Wilson said.
She added, “For years, extremists have hijacked our city and often violent protests with no action in response, which is why we will introduce move on laws and protest permits, so that all Victorians can feel safe on our streets, because we must ensure that you will thrive and not just survive.”
Israeli Ambassador Hillel Newman, speaking from the heart rather than prepared remarks, saluted those present for the courage to stand for what was right, noting that Israel’s return to its ancient homeland after 3000 years of persecution remained without historical parallel.
Zionism Victoria president Elyse Schachna said gatherings such as this mattered because they affirmed that identity could endure across generations, and that the bipartisan support in the room was itself significant.
Jewish Community Council of Victoria president Philip Zajac said the response to the Bondi attack — record queues at blood banks, flowers left outside synagogues across Melbourne, an interfaith vigil — had shown that if the terrorist’s intent was to shatter the community, it had failed. “They made us stronger,” Zajac said.
The event was organised by Zionism Victoria, the JCCV, ECAJ and ZFA.