Katie Allen (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the member for Goldstein's motion to support J-AIR, Melbourne's Jewish radio station, which broadcasts over the internet to Melbourne audiences, including the wonderful Jewish community in my electorate of Higgins. J-AIR also operates on narrowcast radio frequency 87.8 to the Caulfield area. Community radio plays a vital role within Melbourne and across Australia and adds to the many unique cultures that Melbourne and Australia is famous for. We have 3XY Radio Hellas serving the Greek community right across Australia. LightFM provides a positive and family friendly alternative. We also have Joy FM to celebrate and support the LGBTI community.

Included in Melbourne's community radio scene is J-AIR. J-AIR Melbourne facilitates cross-cultural exchange and promotes an understanding of Australian Jewish culture and life, by giving the Jewish people of Melbourne a voice in the wider community. It gives the wider Melbourne population an opportunity to hear and be educated about the Jewish point of view. J-AIR was started by a group of dedicated volunteers who set up in the Glen Eira town hall in 2014. It brings Jewish culture, news, analysis, music, comedy, personalities and performers together to offer well-rounded services for the Jewish community in Melbourne.

However, I was saddened to read the Executive Council of Australian Jewry's Report on antisemitism in Australia 2019. It noted a significant rise in anti-Semitism towards the Jewish community in Victoria. According to the report, there were 368 antisemitic incidents logged within the Jewish community, consisting of 225 attacks and 143 threats. The incidents included verbal abuse, graffiti, threats via email, telephone and postal mail and, most concerning, physical attacks. The report included this paragraph, which I found particularly chilling:

The 30% year-on-year increase in reported incidents of verbal abuse, harassment and intimidation demonstrates that antisemites felt increasingly emboldened to behave in an aggressive, confrontational and menacing way towards Jews who were doing nothing more than going about their daily lives. Jews continued to be verbally abused and harassed around synagogues on a regular basis, especially over the Jewish Sabbath of Friday evening and Saturday, and on other Jewish holy days and festivals.

These attacks are based on ignorance and an unfounded hatred for a group of people. To be reporting this to the chamber in 2020 is simply unbelievable. The good work of community radio stations like J-AIR seeks to educate the wider community about the practices and beliefs of Jewish people in a bid to end the scourge of anti-Semitism in Australia. J-AIR works to bridge the gap between two communities and also works closely with the Community Security Group to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish community in Victoria.

Despite the good work of J-AIR and its volunteers, the absence of a community broadcasting licence limits the capacity for J-AIR to support the Jewish community and provide awareness for the ongoing safety and security challenges faced by Melbourne's Jewish community as a result of the rise of anti-Semitism. Today I join with the member for Goldstein and the member for Macnamara, on the other side of this chamber, to call on the Australian Communications and Media Authority to consider the importance of J-AIR and its ties to the Jewish community and allocate J-AIR a community broadcasting licence.

We all know the exceptional work provided by Victorian radio stations, the ABC and 3AW, during the bushfire seasons. The broadcasters provided 24-hour coverage that provided immediate and accurate advice from our emergency authorities. Similarly, J-AIR is working closely with the Community Security Group for the same purpose of providing safety and security. I will continue to encourage the Australian Communications and Media Authority to work with J-AIR to secure a broadcasting licence and look forward to speaking to the residents of Higgins from across the airwaves of J-AIR in the near future. Community radio helps ensure everyone in our community has a culturally relevant voice. I commend this motion to the House.

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