Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I certainly acknowledge very directly the pain that Jewish Australians are feeling and that they have felt for some period of time. The idea that antisemitism began with the election of the government in 2022 is just not right. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, on 25 November 2018, said that the 12-month period ending 30 September 2018 saw a 59 per cent increase over the previous year in total antisemitic incidents in Australia involving threats or acts of violence. Josh Frydenberg, the then treasurer, said on 10 May 2019, 'Antisemitism is on the rise here in Australia, and the number of incidents has increased quite dramatically.' The member for Berowra said on 6 May 2019:

… I find it hard to believe that in 2019 we are witnessing anti-Semitic incidents on an unprecedented scale.

Senator Andrew Bragg said in the same year:

I believe anti-Semitism is a rising problem …

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