Australia’s Weak Response to Antisemitic Hate Crime

On Feb. 6, Australia’s parliament passed a bill to amend the current crime legislation to include “hate crimes.” Widely criticized as an attack on freedom of speech by conservatives, the legislation, which will become law once it is signed by the Governor-General, was meant to be a demonstration of the government’s response to ongoing antisemitism. 

Rather than represent action against antisemitism, however, the bill is more talk that does little to address the inaction of authorities at both the state and federal level to prosecute those who have terrorized and continue to terrorize Australia’s Jewish community.

A key feature of the left-leaning Labor government has been to play both sides of the debate in relation to Israel’s response to Hamas’s surprise terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Current images of Israeli hostages being returned by masked gunmen who force the released hostages to speak on stage, not knowing the fate of their loved ones, are abhorrent. The independent spectator can see the situation for what it is.

Yet Australia’s official response has been so weak it is an embarrassment to the many conservatives who see the attack on Israel as the catalyst for pro-Palestinian protests that wish to see Australia’s liberal democracy overthrown. Weak leadership begets brave antagonists. On this note, the Australian government has failed the Australian Jewish community and Australians more generally.

Instead, the hastily passed ‘hate crime’ legislation replicated the Labor government’s modus operandi. Rather than aggressively prosecute the various criminal attacks on Australian synagogues and Jewish communities, the government has chosen to make more laws. Unless the authorities wield the powers vested in these laws, these words are little more than hot air.

On Oct. 9, 2023, two days after Hamas’ cowardly attack at the Nova music festival, the steps of the famous Sydney Opera House were overtaken by pro-Palestinian activists who chanted anti-Jewish taunts. These were effectively excused by the authorities. While NSW Premier, Chris Minns, has been talking tough on antisemitism in Sydney since the events of Oct. 9, it is another case of more talk.

Pro-Palestinian activism, usually conducted with the public support of the Australian Greens, a radical far-left political party, is excused as “free speech.” Meanwhile, the Australian Jewish Association was unable to hire the Queensland Cricketers’ Club for an event, “How to Combat Antisemitism and Defend Western Civilization.” The Club decided that the event might be ‘seen as “controversial or insensitive” to stakeholders and players.

The response to pro-Palestinian activism, which has allegedly included the waving of proscribed terrorist organisations’ flags and banners on Australian streets, has been soft while antisemitism is regularly practiced with barely a whisper from the authorities. Like elsewhere, two-tier policing is alive and well.

Speaking up against hate crimes that are targeted specifically at Australia’s Jewish population is a sure-fire way to be cancelled in many circles. This appears to stem from voter behavior which is in focus with a federal election looming in the next few weeks. Indeed, the hate crime bill, once it becomes law, is more likely to be weaponized for radical lawfare by pro-Palestinian activists, given recent actions by the authorities.

Australian opposition leader, Peter Dutton, is expected to provide leadership on the issue and a tougher response to antisemitic hate crimes if he becomes prime minister. But the opposition’s support for the recent hate crime bill is not encouraging. Instead of focusing on rampant antisemitism, the bill encompassed hate crimes ‘distinguished by race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, disability, nationality, national or ethnic origin or political opinion.’

Once again, the term antisemitism cannot be uttered by itself, it must be surrounded by a diversity word salad or, in the same breath, included with Islamophobia. Such nonsense proves just how weak Australia’s response to antisemitic hate crimes has been.

Dr. Michael de Percy @FlaneurPolitiq is a political scientist and political commentator. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILTA), and a Member of the Royal Society of NSW.