Mr Speaker, over summer, we have witnessed scenes of depravity and hatred most of us thought we would never see in New South Wales.
A holy synagogue defiled by a hateful swastika.
A childcare centre deliberately set on fire.
Nazi slogans – copied from the darkest pages of history – spraypainted across Jewish cars and Jewish property.
To a person, these have been cowardly acts, conducted under the cover of darkness, designed to bully and intimidate and threaten the Jewish people of our great state.
But we are here today, as a parliament, as representatives of this open and tolerant state, to say in an unambiguous way that this campaign of hatred will fail.
It will fail – because the Jewish community is strong.
It will fail – because our Jewish friends have an entire state behind them – with the laws and the resources and the solidarity needed to destroy the poison of antisemitism wherever it takes root.
Mr Speaker, the Jewish people of New South Wales are proud, but they are understandably exhausted.
As one parent told the media earlier this month: “I’m just tired. I want it to stop. I am sick of waking up to find out something else has happened.”
Some of the stories we are hearing will break your heart.
Of schoolkids – who are now afraid to wear their uniforms in public as they walk down the street to their local school.
Or of parents – who have started driving their kids everywhere – so they don’t have to risk a trip on the bus or the train.
We will not be a state where someone feels like they have to remove their yarmulke just to walk down the street.
Where people are made to hide their heritage – because of the ignorance, the bigotry, the racism of other people – people they’ve never met before.
Mr Speaker, that has never been New South Wales.
And today – and in coming sessions of parliament – we will introduce new and stronger laws that target this kind of antisemitism and racial hatred.
These laws we hope will send the clearest possible message.
These are serious crimes.
And if you’re going to commit these acts – if you are thinking about spreading racial hatred on our streets –you will face these full penalties.
These changes include:
- A new offence targeting the display of Nazi symbols on or near a synagogue.
- An act to create an aggravated offence for graffiti on a place of worship.
- Laws designed to stop people from harassing other people, or intimidating other people from recognising their religion and worshipping at religious buildings.
We’re also backing these laws in as well, Mr Speaker, with more funding for the Hate Crime Unit in the NSW Police.
More training and support for local councils.
We believe they’re strong laws, that will be a genuine deterrent, and we want to put resources behind them.
And send a message that if you’re going to get involved in this kind of bastardry: the police will track you down – they will find you – and you will be punished.
Mr Speaker, one public act of antisemitism is too many.
A summer of rolling hatred is obviously intolerable.
Operation Shelter, stood up by the NSW Police, has arrested 173 people – with over 460 charges.
Strike Force Pearl is now targeting vandalism and arson, and we’ve doubled the number of detectives on the case.
But we do recognise that no one in this place will be judged by the laws we pass, or the taskforces that are established.
We’ll be judged by the crimes that are stopped – and the feeling of safety that can return to our community as a result.
I know David Ossip is here today as President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. I’d like to acknowledge his guidance and support as well as his personal strength and leadership throughout these very difficult times.
Mr Speaker, for as long as modern Australia has existed, Jewish people have made their home in this state.
In 1788, there were eight Jews on the First Fleet.
They were victims of poverty in East London, like later Jewish migrants who were fleeing pogroms in Eastern Europe, and those who settled here after the great evil of the Shoah.
For generations of Jewish people, Australia has offered a promise.
And that promise has been very simple.
Despite centuries of horrifying violence – Australia would be different.
Australia would be safe.
This would be a country that accepts and celebrates these ancient people – a place where this community could live and prosper in peace.
In the 1860s, a Rabbi travelled here from Jerusalem, Rabbi Jacob Levi Saphir, and he was amazed at what he found: “The Jews live in safety and take their share in all good things of the country.
“In this land, they have learnt that the Jews are good people, and hatred towards them has entirely disappeared.”
This is in 1860, Mr Speaker.
I think it’s important we observe that the vast, vast majority of Australians of different ethnicities, nationalities, faiths, religions celebrate and love our Jewish friends and fellow citizens.
We work together – we often send our kids to the same schools – we live side by side.
In a democratic country like Australia there will be debate about foreign policy issues, wars, conflicts, rights.
And of course that includes the Middle East.
I have to say Mr Speaker, I’ve found that most Australians – regardless of their race, religion or perspective – want, would argue for, and indeed many pray for, Israeli and Palestinian children to live in peace in that holy land – and an end to all wars.
We must, however, make it absolutely clear that nothing that happens overseas, in any context can ever be used as a pretext for hate, antisemitism or division here in Australia.
People have come from around the world – from different races and religions – because we are a peaceful, tolerant country that has been free of this kind of racial or religious division and ancient hatreds.
And we can’t bend on this principle.
No one is entitled to bring their bigotry to our country – and we won’t tolerate it.
In New South Wales – we will never harbour the poison of antisemitism.
Antisemitism is a particularly sinister, shape shifting in form, and the bigotry is widespread.
So often – what has begun as hate speech against the Jewish people has led to violence, it has led to persecution, it’s led to murder, and it’s led to genocide.
That is the reason we’re here today.
As a state – as a community – as a Parliament – as friends and neighbours – so that we can root out this kind of behaviour – and end this shameful chapter of the history of the state.
