All I am saying is give Albo a (second) chance

I am not Jewish, but I have developed a deep affection for and an understanding of the Jewish community in my role as Head of Humanities at Bialik College. I consider myself a proud Zionist and I am not Jewish, but I have developed a deep affection for and an increasing understanding of the Jewish community in my role as Head of Humanities at Bialik College. I consider myself a proud Zionist and believe that the State of Israel is a great model for self-determination and sovereignty for minority groups the world over.

As someone who is entrenched in the centre-left politically and born and bred in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, I also have a deep sense of justice and a care of all marginalised communities. When it comes to Israel and Palestine, I believe a two-state solution is the only way to ensure both Palestinian dignity and Israel’s security. It must be a negotiated outcome which cannot come through violence and terror, nor involve Hamas or other terror groups.

Holding this space is not easy, but I feel a great responsibility as a history educator at the edge of two worlds, able to engage in deep dialogue from Caulfield to Coburg. 

It is from this complicated space that I’d like to share a message with Jewish Australians.

I think that the Australian Labor Party deserves another chance. 

The 2025 Australian Federal election was a repudiation of extremism and divisiveness. It shows that neither radical nor reactionary politics will work in Australia.

The Greens failed because their focus moved away climate change and the environment and instead prioritised the castigation of baby boomers, straight, white males and, wealthier working Australians in their attempt to woo the younger crowds of online activists.

The Liberals failed because they strayed from their traditional values as the party of economic and social freedom and instead built their platform in part on the MAGA adjacent politics of climate denial and culture wars.

But despite the landslide across the country, many Jewish voters turned against Labor.

I have often heard the claim that the Australian Labor Party are anti-Israel or even antisemitic. This is far from the truth, and it is telling that campaigners for Palestinians don’t see it that way. Members of the ALP have been targeted by anti-Israel protesters since October 7. Well over $100,000 in taxpayer money has gone into repairing the offices of at least ten ALP MPs, not only Jewish members Josh Burns and Mark Dreyfus but also Ged Kearney and Peter Khalil in the northern suburbs electorates of Cooper and Wills respectively. Almost every advertisement for Kearney was near-instantly spray painted with hate speech such as ‘Genocide Ged’. Khalil, an Egyptian Australian, was labelled a ‘Zio Dog’ surrounded by the (k)orny and not very (k)lever alliteration ‘Khalil Kills Kids’. Are Labor really the party for Palestine when they are receiving this ongoing hate from protesters?

I do remain hopeful that the never-ending stickers and graffiti throughout the northern suburbs are perpetrated by a very active few. This is justified by my generally positive interactions with most people I meet when we discuss the topic. Additionally, most candidates, even in areas with high Muslim populations, focused on the issues of crime and cost of living highlighting what really matters most to voters.

When it came to calling out the significant rise in antisemitism, Peter Dutton and other Liberal Party members were much more vehement in their rhetoric, which I applaud. I do not think many on the Labor team have shown enough understanding of the pain and suffering of Australia’s Jewish community. Some of the language and stances taken by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, among others, have been tone deaf or even troubling.  

Nevertheless, the ALP and Albanese have made many efforts to engage with and support Jewish Australians, especially once words turned to violence, but they walked a fine line between pro-Israel and pro-Palestine advocates.

Although this was not the response Jews and their allies would necessarily want to hear, it clearly worked to downplay any division and resonated with the wider electorate.  It also had the virtue of not playing into the agenda of either side of the conflict. The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network has a 12-point scale to measure each party’s congruence with their message. The Liberal Party scored 0/12, ALP 4/12 and the Greens 12/12, the final point achieved for labelling Israel a genocidal and apartheid state.

I experienced the mindset of the far left when I went to pre-poll in Thornbury. I was approached by two Victorian Socialists, who handed me their how to vote card and said, ‘vote socialist’. I politely replied, ‘not today, thank you’. One responded that I must be a ‘right winger’ to which I answered ‘no’. The next comment was in a sense scarier yet much more enlightening than the first. She said “oh, a moderate then’ with utter disdain in her voice. “One thing I’d like you to moderate is your views on Israel/Palestine” was my retort. Both sniggered and one said, “I don’t think so” and they turned their back on me.

It cannot be denied that The Greens, Socialists, and other far-left activist groups have peddled antisemitic sentiment and made Australia a less safe place for Jews. I will never forgive or forget the damage done and I do not think many other Australians will either.

Their approach failed. Greens leader Adam Bandt has lost his seat; two of the three Green Brisbane seats have fallen and challenges in Wills, Vic and Richmond, NSW failed. Australia has spoken and it is a very happy goodbye.

For much of Australia, conflict in the Middle East is not on their mind but they are very good at sniffing out extremism and removing the rot.

We must remain in the sensible centre and focus on a more hopeful, cohesive, and strong Australia. The question of good government goes well beyond Australia’s foreign policy or reaction to hate speech on our streets. Jews in the centre and centre left might be disappointed in Labor for their actions or lack thereof when it comes to Israel and antisemitism, but I hope they will not abandon the ALP. Rather, as Josh Burns suggests, aim to be the voice in the room ensuring that the ALP is accountable on its Middle East and antisemitism policies and remains a party of reason in an ever more divisive political landscape.