Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (15:19:32): I express my deep concern regarding the disturbing rise in anti‑Semitism within my electorate of Coogee and beyond. Anti‑Semitism is racism and bigotry towards Jews. It is a prejudice spanning 3,000 years. Recently Randwick City Council was called upon to remove a swastika that had been graffitied on the footpath outside Coogee Synagogue. I can only imagine the distress of the Or Chadash, or "New Light", congregation whose original members established the synagogue shortly after the Holocaust.
This year the Executive Council of Australian Jewry [ECAJ] released its thirtieth annual analysis of reports of anti‑Semitic violence, vandalism, harassment and intimidation in Australia. Some 368 incidents were reported, many of which involved face‑to‑face harassment and property vandalism. That figure is high, considering social demographers estimate the Jewish population to be 115,000, or 0.5 per cent of the Australian population, of which approximately 30,000 live in New South Wales. In Sydney during the 1980s and 1990s, in addition to terrorist bombings of a major Jewish cultural institution and the Israeli consulate, there were more arson attacks on synagogues than occurred anywhere else in the world in the 50 years after the Second World War. A great deal has changed for the better since that time. However, plenty still needs to be done to protect citizens against what has been described as the "oldest hatred".
Thanks to extensive advocacy by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, Federal and State anti-racism legislation has been enacted and many individuals and groups are working towards interfaith dialogue and community harmony. My electorate includes two large Jewish day schools. I am proud that NSW Labor committed $2 million in security funding to protect Jewish institutions—an amount the Coalition committed to matching. Jeremy Jones, the Director of International & Community Affairs at the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, said:
If we are to successfully push back against bigotry and stop racism becoming entrenched, there are few measures as important as vocal and principled condemnations of these ills from our political leaders.
As the world is gripped by fear and uncertainty resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, Jews have once again become a target for attacks. Calling COVID-19 "Jew flu", encouraging people to infect Jews and suggesting the virus was created by Jews or Israel for profit are some of the examples of online anti‑Semitism reported both globally and locally this year.
Disappointingly, many disturbing incidents of anti‑Semitism occurred in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests. Those incidents reinforce the idea that some people will attack Jews regardless of the events about which they are commenting. During the 2019 Federal election campaign several Jewish candidates were targeted due to their ethnicity. Josh Frydenberg in Melbourne, Julian Leeser and Jason Falinski had their corflutes defaced with anti‑Semitic graffiti, including swastikas, Hitler moustaches, dollar signs and devil horns. Kerryn Phelps, the former Member for Wentworth, was the target of a vicious anti‑Semitic and homophobic email campaign, prompting Julian Leeser to state that anti‑Semitism and its manifestations are not always recognised by non-Jews. He stated:
A number of people didn't understand the meaning of the dollar signs being painted on my face—a number of educated, thoughtful, non‑Jewish people. We may need some new thinking in that space because educated people who are not Jewish don't necessarily see things that [Jewish people] see. We've grown up with [these things] in a particular cultural milieu by being part of the community and carrying the history of being a Jewish person.
Most recently that idea was demonstrated when the Australian Financial Review published a cartoon depicting Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg with a hooked nose, skullcap and a dollar sign around his neck. Although the newspaper apologised and revised the cartoon, the fact that the cartoon's offensiveness was not detected before it was originally published by a mainstream newspaper is of deep concern. Another manifestation of anti‑Semitism in Australia and beyond is expressed through anti‑Israel rhetoric. As noted in the ECAJ report on anti‑Semitism, all governments should be:
… the subject of criticism for their policies and actions … However, some … criticisms of Israel cross the line from ordinary political discourse into … hate speech.
Examples include the demonisation of Israel, its actions blown out of rational proportion—such as the comparison of Israelis to Nazis—and the double standards that are applied when Israel is called out for criticism while the human rights violations of Saudi Arabia, Iran or China are ignored. A denial of Israel's right to exist—a nation sanctioned by the United Nations—is always anti‑Semitic.
On 27 January this year the seventy-fifth anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz was commemorated. I pay tribute to the Holocaust survivors and other Jewish immigrants who have made Australia their home and have contributed to this nation on a scale greatly disproportionate to their number. It is my hope that the Jewish community and other religious and cultural groups can live and thrive here. Anti‑Semitism can be seen as the canary in the coalmine—while it may start with attacks on Jews, it does not end there.
The SPEAKER: In the absence of a reply from the Government, I will make a short reply. As a member who has a large Jewish population in his electorate and also as Speaker, I support and appreciate the contribution of the member for Coogee. On behalf of the House, I join with her in condemning anti-Semitism and I welcome the contribution of the Australian Jewish community.
