In a surprising turn of events, Attorney General Mark Dreyfus faced heckling and visible dissent while delivering a speech at the Sky News antisemitism summit in Sydney on Thursday. The controversy comes on the heels of a parliamentary standoff last week, where Liberal MP Michael Sukkar stunned the lower house by moving to gag Dreyfus from speaking on the issue of antisemitism.
Addressing the summit audience at the Central Sydney synagogue, Dreyfus condemned the politicization of antisemitism in Australia, stating, “Antisemitism cannot and must not be weaponised in the pursuit of votes. It must not be weaponised in the pursuit of newspaper sales or TV ratings, either, we all must take a stand together.” His remarks were met with audible dissent and the sight of several attendees walking out during the speech.
Parliamentary Gag Sparks Apologies and Criticism
The heated response at the summit comes just days after Sukkar’s controversial move to silence Dreyfus in parliament. The motion was defeated 91-52, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denouncing Sukkar’s behavior as “completely disorderly and completely unacceptable.” Dreyfus revealed that in the aftermath, an “extraordinary” number of Coalition politicians privately approached him to apologize and express regret over the incident.
However, Sukkar himself was not among those offering apologies. Instead, he doubled down on his stance, telling Guardian Australia, “Dreyfus was accusing the Opposition of politicising antisemitism, which is an outrageous smear.” Sukkar demanded that Dreyfus retract the “smear” and apologize, asserting that it is the Coalition that has shown “unwavering support” to Jewish Australians since the October 7 attacks.
Strengthened Hate Speech Laws and Government Response
In his speech, Dreyfus highlighted the steps taken by the Albanese government to combat antisemitism, including strengthening hate speech laws. The new legislation, passed earlier this month, is touted as the strongest Australia has ever had and is designed to address acts of hatred based on both antisemitism and Islamophobia.
We must never forget the Holocaust and I’ll keep saying that.
— Mark Dreyfus, Attorney General
Dreyfus also discussed his recent visit to Poland for the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, where he condemned the politicization of antisemitism as “grotesque.” He reiterated, “Remembering the Holocaust does not belong to the left or the right. It is the solemn duty of every person, of all of humanity, to remember the politics: to say, ‘never again.'”
Divisions Within the Jewish Community
The heated exchanges at the summit and in parliament underscore the divisions within Australia’s Jewish community and the broader debate surrounding the government’s response to rising antisemitism. Some members of the Jewish community, along with the opposition, have criticized the federal government for not doing enough to address the surge of antisemitic incidents following the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Dreyfus, for his part, maintained that the government has “expressly condemned words and acts of hate directed at Jewish people” since the very first protest in Australia that crossed the line into antisemitism. He called for unity in the fight against hatred, stating, “further division will not help. It will do more harm.”
The Path Forward
As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether the divisions within the Jewish community and the political sphere can be bridged in the shared goal of combating antisemitism. The heated exchanges at the Sky News summit and the parliamentary standoff serve as stark reminders of the challenges and sensitivities surrounding this critical issue.
For now, Attorney General Mark Dreyfus remains steadfast in his condemnation of antisemitism and his call for a united front against hatred. As he declared in his speech, “We all must take a stand together.” The question is, can Australia’s leaders and communities heed that call and find common ground in the fight against antisemitism?
