We need a bipartisan war on antisemitism

Operation Avalite, the federal police taskforce set up in late December to investigate three major antisemitic attacks, is now investigating 102 incidents.

These more frequent and more severe attacks, including two on Sydney synagogues in the past week, have placed antisemitism firmly on the agendas of our political leaders.

That attention might appear to be good news for the Jewish community, and for all Australians who care about social cohesion and the peace and security of our multicultural society. The violent targeting of any segment of our society should be treated with utmost seriousness by our leaders and law-enforcers.

But Operation Avalite has yet to make a single arrest, including in the case of the horrendous firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue last month. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has declined an interview request from The Jewish Independent to update the community on its progress.

The judiciary is failing to treat cases of antisemitic vandalism sufficiently seriously. Antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal wrote this week that when antisemitic incidents do make it to the courts, they are often treated as mere graffiti cases rather than as hate crimes that are part of a systematic pattern of intimidation.

Segal called for a national cabinet to address antisemitism, an idea Prime Minister Anthony Albanese refused to back, although he met with Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen, Acting NSW Premier Penny Sharpe and AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw this week to discuss an integrated response to antisemitism.

As we begin an election year, both sides of politics seem more interested in approaching this national crisis with an eye to political advantage than in doing everything possible to fight antisemitism.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton reacted to the attack on Newtown synagogue in Sydney last weekend by claiming every antisemitic incident could be traced back to the prime minister's “failure to take action”.

He used the attack to announce a series of policies, many of which are identical to those already implemented by the Labor government, including a dedicated federal police taskforce (like Operation Avalite); $32.5 million in security funding to the Jewish community (also pledged by Labor); and amending the Migration Act to specifically proscribe antisemitism, enabling the deportation of visa holders who commit acts of anti-Jewish hate.

In response, the Office of the Prime Minister put out a statement listing the steps already taken by the Federal Government, including the dedicated federal police taskforce; the $32.5 million in security funding; the appointment of antisemitism envoy Segal; and laws banning the Nazi salute and swastika, and criminalising doxing.

State politicians also got involved in competitive promising. In WA, which goes to elections in March, Liberal leader Libby Mettam pledged $250,000 towards security upgrades for the Jewish community, prompting Premier Roger Cook to accuse her of politicising the issue with a "cynical election announcement".

At a federal level, there is little to nothing between the policies on fighting antisemitism offered by the two major parties. The Liberals are more vehement in their rhetoric against migration and visa-holders although the practice is unlikely to be different. Labor has the track record on the antisemitism envoy but is not showing much interest in taking her advice. Both sides are indulging in political game-playing: announcing a task force that already exists and showcasing past policies as if they were new initiatives.

Antisemitism is not just a threat to Jewish Australians but an attack on the values and decency of Australian society. Electioneering has no place when we are facing a threat to our entire way of life.

During wartime, governments often agree to go into coalition, putting their differences aside to fight an external enemy. The same approach should apply when fighting a core threat to our society such as antisemitism.

Those who seek to destroy Australia as we know it with violent racist attacks are a threat to us all. They need to know that all Australians of conscience will work together to fight antisemitism.

Update 17 January: The AFP yesterday laid its first charges under Operation Avalite against a man accused of making death threats against members of a Jewish organisation.