In the wake of violence we must build, not retreat

For almost a decade, we — a Muslim and a Jew — have worked side by side, in partnership
and trust, to strengthen social cohesion in Australia. Our relationship was not forged in
abstraction or agreement on everything, but through shared work, shared risk and a steady
belief that difference, handled with care, can become a source of strength rather than fear.
Sunday’s attack in Sydney shattered that fragile sense of safety.

What should have been a peaceful communal gathering became a scene of terror, reminding us how quickly belonging can unravel when hatred is allowed to grow unchecked. In moments like this, Australians rightly demand action. The question is not whether racism and antisemitism must be confronted — they must — but how we do so without eroding the democratic and social foundations we are trying to defend.

The government’s response to the antisemitism envoy’s report gets important things right.
Strong hate-crime laws, clear consequences for incitement to violence, better data, education
and protection for vulnerable communities are all essential. Antisemitism, like Islamophobia,
corrodes our democracy and must be named and challenged early. But enforcement alone will
never be enough.

History shows that lasting peace and social cohesion are not built through punishment and surveillance alone, but through sustained investment in civil society — in the institutions that allow people to meet one another, work together and rebuild trust over time. Northern Ireland offers a lesson worth remembering. Peace there did not emerge simply from political agreements or tougher policing. It was made possible by decades of patient investment in grassroots organisations, cross-community initiatives and shared civic spaces — the quiet, difficult work of helping former adversaries encounter one another as human beings rather than abstractions.