Antisemitism has no place in Australia. I know this, the Albanese Labor government knows this and Australians know this as well. I do have some respect for the member for Berowra, and I appreciate his work in this House. He worked with me as the deputy chair of the health committee in the last parliament for a time. However, as a Jewish Australian of the ninth generation and a proud member of the Australian Labor Party, I am actually ashamed that the member for Berowra has brought this accusation forward to this House. I must remind him that our government has and is keeping Jewish Australians safe, and I draw his attention to the Prime Minister's remarks following the Adass Israel synagogue attack in 2024 and his comments that antisemitism is evil and there is no place for it here.
It is true that due to the sad and pathetic acts of certain individuals there has been an increase in unease and concern among Jewish Australians, and that's never okay. I must stress also that no government can entirely prevent what sad, crazed individuals will do. However, governments must react effectively and empathetically to these episodes, and I am proud to say that the Albanese Labor government has done just that. We have tackled antisemitism with decisive, not divisive, action, whether it's through enhancing legislation and security to protect Jewish Australians, through improving education and awareness regarding what antisemitism is or through many other supports for the Jewish community, including millions of dollars in enhancing security in Jewish synagogues and schools. We've also banned hate symbols, as well as referring antisemitic incidents—in which there has been an increase—on university campuses to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. We've done many things.
It's vital to try and prevent antisemitism. However, we will never stop it altogether. Our government continues to support the Jewish community, but we are never going to stop antisemitism, racism and other hateful crimes in Australia. They are crimes and must be treated as such. But they have existed since the Jewish community came to Australia—including my ancestors—as convicts in this country. They have created successful and flourishing lives and families through many generations, and I'm very proud of that.
Attacks on our social cohesion are dreadful and must be prevented. What's been presented to the House today as a matter of public importance is damaging our social cohesion, and those opposite must know that. We take this very seriously. I have many friends across many different communities in my electorate, from the Persian community to the Lebanese community to the subcontinental community, and we strongly believe and support social cohesion across all those communities, and they supported me in the most recent election and continue to support me now. What is happening with this weaponisation of antisemitism is shameful, and I believe those opposite should be ashamed of their actions. However, I'm not going to lecture them about that. I hope that we can help preserve our social cohesion.
Antisemitism has occurred throughout generations in Australia. There are crazy people doing crazy things; we know that. They're in the minority. We must act against them, but they have occurred for generations. I remember well the firebombing of the Bankstown synagogue in 1991, when it was destroyed. The antisemitism that occurred after the Second World War had supporters on both sides of parliament, but they were in the minority.
The Australian parliament in general has acted in a bipartisan way to make sure our parliament reacts against antisemitism and racism in all its forms. We will continue to need to be vigilant in this space. But, as has been suggested, the Persian community in Australia does not support the Iranian regime, and many in the Jewish community do not support the actions of the Israeli government. (Time expired)
