PM’s Plan to Tackle Rising Anti-Semitic Attacks in Australia
Prime Minister Albanese outlines measures to combat anti-Semitic incidents following recent attacks in Australia
Australia, Anti-Semitism, Sydney, Melbourne, Jillian Segal
Sydney: Recently, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared his strategy to address the troubling rise in anti-Semitic incidents across Australia. This comes after a synagogue was vandalized with swastikas and a shopfront was defaced in New South Wales.
Albanese met with state leaders, including Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and acting NSW Premier Penny Sharpe, along with the Australian Federal Police Commissioner. It’s been a tough few months for him, especially with the backlash over how he’s handled the situation.
The leaders are working together to find those responsible for several high-profile attacks on places of worship since the October 7 incident. This includes an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue last year.
In a statement, Albanese emphasized that he’s ready to support state leaders. He mentioned that all three governments are committed to ongoing discussions and that police need to engage more with the community.
He stated, “The rise of anti-Semitism is abhorrent, and there’s no place for the hate speech and attacks we’ve seen.” He’s serious about taking action to eliminate this issue.
The Albanese government has rolled out several measures to combat the rise in anti-Semitic incidents. This includes forming an AFP task force aimed at tackling anti-Semitism and violence against the Jewish community.
This task force, called Operation Avalite, has already received 124 reports, with 102 still being investigated. They’re also pushing for legal reforms to criminalize doxxing and ban the Nazi salute starting in early 2024.
Last year, the federal government appointed Australia’s first Special Envoy to Combat Anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, and has allocated over $50 million for safety measures at Jewish sites, schools, and synagogues.
Recently, counter-terrorism police took over the investigation into a swastika vandalism incident at a Newtown synagogue. They’re currently looking for two individuals who might help with the case.
In the past few months, police have responded to various incidents, including graffiti on a home in Sydney’s east and a man charged for anti-Semitic graffiti in Newcastle. There were also reports of cars vandalized with anti-Israel messages in Woollahra.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton criticized Albanese, claiming he’s partly to blame for the surge in anti-Semitism. He linked every incident back to the Prime Minister’s lack of leadership following the events at the Sydney Opera House after Hamas’ attack on Israel.
Albanese responded to Dutton’s comments, calling them “just plain nasty.”