Anti-Jewish incidents quadruple in Australia in past year

There have been more than 2,062 anti-Jewish incidents in Australia over the past year, compared with 495 in the previous 12-month period.

New figures for the period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024 show the highest level of antisemitism since the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) began tracking incidents in 1990.

The 2024 level of antisemitism is more than four times the level in 2023, and more than six times the average of the preceding 10 years.

ECAJ Research Director Julie Nathan said if anything, the raw numbers understated the seriousness of the surge in antisemitism.

“If it was thought that anti-Jewish racism was a thing of the past and defeated, the last 12 months has shown that it has been cynically reactivated and stoked for political purposes. The physical, verbal and other forms of attacks on Jewish individuals, families and community venues will continue to worsen unless governments, police and others show some spine by taking resolute action to halt the rising tide of acts of hatred against the Jewish community and bringing those responsible to account.”

Stronger laws needed

The government is currently reviewing an amendment to the Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill, which aims to strengthen existing offences; create new offences for threatening force or violence against targeted groups; and expand the list of groups protected.

In a submission to the inquiry into the amendment, ECAJ described the amendment as a modest step in the right direction but said it does not go far enough to provide an effective response “even to some of the more scandalous forms of hate speech”.