Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. Back in May of 2024, I visited Mount Scopus Memorial College, a Jewish school in Melbourne, with the member for Macnamara, who is indeed an honoured old boy. We attended there because the day before there had been a horrible antisemitic slogan spray-painted on the school's wall. It was a clarifying experience for me. It's obviously terrible that kids have to look at that hate directed at who they are. But, actually, life at the school was an eye-opener. Security there is not unlike security here, but whereas we are adults who have made the choice to be an adult life, these are kids who have no choice. The idea that children are receiving their education—that they are learning to experience the world behind large walls protecting them from the world—is just so sad. That's not a reflection on the kids; that is, of course, a reflection on the world that is outside. That is a reflection on Australia today.

Antisemitism has been around for a while, and in truth that kind of security on Jewish community facilities has been there for many years, but antisemitism has become much worse since 7 October 2023. The way in which life for Jewish Australians has been compromised is profound. It is not okay that Jewish students at universities feel uncomfortable wearing the kippah. It is not okay that Jewish artists have effectively been cancelled. We understand that there is much more to do, but our government has acted against antisemitism. We have made criminal more forms of hate speech, we have appointed an envoy to combat antisemitism, and we've now committed to implementing her report in full.

We would have liked to have done more in that regard this week, but we are grateful for whatever we can do this week amongst all of us, because it takes all of us, which is a point that is well made by the American Jewish Committee in its call to action against antisemitism. It says:

When considered only through a partisan lens, antisemitism is not being countered, but instrumentalized. Antisemitism must not be a partisan issue used as a wedge within the Jewish community. Especially in advance of elections, we encourage Members of Congress to be mindful of politicization and reach across party lines to address antisemitism.

These are wise words. We are only going to rid the scourge of antisemitism in this country if we all rise above our parties and do it together.

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