It’s a growing concern within our communities, right across the country, and I’m talking about antisemitism. We’ve seen extraordinary things where the government has canceled people’s visas and concerts, but the special envoy that has issued a plan to combat antisemitism has issued a very big document where we’re not quite sure if the government is going to accept it and run with it. The coalition has, of course, welcomed it, and I’m very pleased to say joining us on the line is Senator Paul Scarr, how are you, Paul?
Senator Scarr
I’m great. Damo, great to be with you and your listeners.
Damien Lee
It is good to talk to you. Now, when the Prime Minister was asked directly if he would commit to implementing the plan in full, he refused to do so, Didn’t he look there was some prevarication. I think it’s really important that, as you said at the outset, we’re we’re facing a national crisis in terms of antisemitism in this country. And the report, which was issued by the Special Envoy Jillian Segal is deeply concerning, including the statistics Damo if, if you can just appreciate this, that from October 2023 to September, 2024, incidents of antisemitism surged in this country by 316%. in October and November, 2023 alone, episodes increased over 700% and we’re talking here about the impact on real people, on Australian Citizens. And I attended the East Melbourne synagogue last week with Sussan Ley, the opposition leader, and spoke to parents about what it feels like to drop their children off at school and there are armed guards at their school. They don’t just have fire drills. They have lockdown drills, where they’re preparing for a violent offender to potentially come onto their campus.
Damien Lee
Yeah.
Senator Scarr
And families are actually seriously discussing, is Australia a safe place for us to be?
Damien Lee
And this is pointing to the fact that this problem has now surged to crisis levels. We need to do something urgently to address the issue. But I can’t understand why the Prime Minister is reluctant, in parts, to accept some of this invoice work.
Senator Scarr
Well, we will be as an opposition, we’ll be holding the government to account in terms of accepting the recommendations and implementing the work plan that has been proposed by Jillian Segal.. So Jillian’s report, the special envoys report as both a call to action, emphasizing the national crisis of antisemitism, which we’re facing, but it also provides a really important work plan that the government should be introducing and implementing, and from our perspective as an Opposition, we’ll be holding the government accountable every single day.
Damien Lee
When you look at the issue Paul. I mean, the Jewish community is already telling us that Australia now leads the world in fire bombings and other violent attacks on Jews. We’re talking about Australia. This is unacceptable. We should all be able to live in peace.
Senator Scarr
Absolutely, absolutely. And you’ve hit the nail on the head. Every single Australian has the right to live in peace, in harmony and in safety in our beautiful country, free from vilification, free from harassment and free from violence. And unfortunately, we’re not seeing that today, our Jewish community has been subjected to vile antisemitic attacks, and it’s up to each and every one of us as members of the Australian community to send shoulder to shoulder with our Jewish community and to provide them support. And this report from the Special Envoy provides a roadmap of what we need to do.
Damien Lee
Yeah, an internal campaign group of members and politicians linked to the Labor Party are calling on Anthony Albanese to reject key parts of an antisemitism envoy plan, which is this one we’re talking about. The labor friends of Palestine say that they’re concerned over the recommendations that the government adopt a contested definition of antisemitism. I mean, what are they talking about?
Senator Scarr
Well, Damian, I think it’s misconceived. The criticism this plan does not stop anyone from engaging in peaceful protest, raising their concerns with respect to what is happening in Gaza, in the in the broader Middle East. It doesn’t prevent that. What it stops is people going out onto our streets and and using antisemitic slogans. Just Just recently we we’ve seen this proliferation of signs going up calling for death, death to the IDF, etc, etc. There’s no place for that on our Australian streets. Damien, absolutely no place you can engage in good faith, peaceful protest without engaging in in hatred, without engaging in vilification or harassment. I think the line’s pretty clear. I think most of your listeners would be able to work out the line between engaging in peaceful protest, making points which you feel passionately about on one side, which, of course, is permitted in our free and democratic society. But what it means to cross that line where you’re actually advocating hate and you’re vilifying people, and that is unacceptable. It must be unacceptable in our country.
Damien Lee
As I said in my introduction, I mean, the Prime Minister has already threatened to defund universities who promote antisemitism. You know, we’ve seen, you know, the, you know, concerts being canceled because of anti-semitic and disturbing comments made by performing artists. Why then aren’t we taking this across the board, range of recommendations that this envoy has put forward?
Senator Scarr
Well, these recommendations need to be implemented, and there are strong recommendations in relation to our universities, in relation to our cultural institutions, in terms of holding them accountable if in any way they’re enabling, if they’re giving platforms, if they’re facilitating people who are spruiking anti-semitic tropes and also engaging in other sort of anti-semitic behavior. And people need to be accountable. I come back to that original point, Damien, which you led this story with, we’re in a national crisis. We’ve got families here, Jewish families, Jewish Australian families, who are feeling the pressure day to day and are living in fear, and it’s simply unacceptable.
Damien Lee
And it’s running rampant in Australia and has grown. I mean, can you believe even five years ago, mate, that you and I would be talking about this?
Senator Scarr
Oh, it’s hard to believe. And the people I speak to in the Jewish community, many of them come to my office and and they convey their concerns and their fears, especially for their children. Many members of the community can’t believe what they’re seeing on our streets at the moment. They just can’t believe it. This is not Australia. This is not the Australia that you and I know and love. Every single person in this country has the right to live in peace, to live in harmony and to live free of vilification and hate and not have to fear for their security.
Damien Lee
Let’s hope that he falls on the right ears and we get this special envoy recommendations put in full. What do you reckon?
Senator Scarr
Yeah. Thanks very much, Damien, and thank you to you for raising these important issues. It’s always so important, always, because everyone in community needs to rally around our Jewish friends.
Damien Lee
Yep, certainly do, mate appreciate your time this morning. I know how busy you are, and we’ll look forward to catching up again soon.
Senator Scarr
Look forward to it, Damien.
