Published: 22 January 2026
Last updated: 6 May 2026
The Jewish community has accused the Albanese government of many crimes and misdemeanours since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
Some of them have been demonstrably justified - Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s failure to visit the sites of Hamas attacks during her visit to Israel, the government’s tepid response to the university encampments, and the long delay in responding to Jillian Segal’s antisemitism plan.
Several other flashpoints have been driven by a feeling of resentment over the broader community’s solidarity with Palestine but blind eye to Hamas, which boiled over after the Sydney Harbour Bridge march and the government’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.
These grievances were felt so deeply that Prime Minister Albanese was not invited to the funerals of the Bondi Beach victims. The Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, told The Jewish Independent she has been inundated by people demanding that she sack him. The targeting of the prime minister is understandable, given the rise in antisemitic incidents under his watch, but he cannot be held personally accountable for what happened on December 14.
However, in the aftermath of the terror attack, there can be no doubt that Albanese has been found sorely wanting as a national leader, in terms of personal authority, political judgment and policy responses.
Comments3
Miriam Feldheim23 January at 10:01 pm
Well said Paul Fletcher and Kim Lester.
Paul Fletcher23 January at 03:06 am
The Bondi attack was horrific. Murdering innocent civilians who were celebrating their religion is beyond forgiveness. The same holds true for the Palestinians in Gaza. All lives matter equally. There’s no justification for committing genocide. I am anti the actions of Israel and the IDF. I’m not anti Judaism nor anti Jewish people.
Kim Lester22 January at 03:14 am
I am not Jewish but support the human right of Jewish people anywhere in the world to express themselves without fear – anti semitism in this country sickens me.
The appalling attacks on our PM in the far right commercial media and supported by community groups is what has created an atmosphere of chaos in Australia’s response to terror. Conservatives in this country failed the leadership test to work with the government. Albanese is a righteous man who is able to listen to debate unlike the conservatives leaders who just pile on hate at our PM.
They have disgraced themselves.