‘Democracy is at stake’: SOS from PM’s envoy

Original article by Alexi Demetriadi, Bianca Farmakis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 15-Jan-25

Australia’s inaugural envoy on anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to convene a meeting of national cabinet to address the issue. Segal has called for harsher sentences and more prosecutions for hate crimes directed at Jewish Australians, arguing that the judiciary’s soft approach to sentencing is giving anti-Semites "effective impunity". Segal adds that politicians at federal and state level must take legislative action if current laws are not "up to the task". Segal notes that the recent attacks on the Jewish community are part of a "systematic pattern of intimidation" that began when no action was taken against people who targeted Jews at the Sydney Opera House on 9 October 2023.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Jewish leaders: put Greens last

Original article by Joe Kelly, David Tanner
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 9-Oct-24

The Executive Council of Australian of Jewry and the Zionist Federation of Australia have joined forces to urge Labor and the Coalition to preference the Greens last on their how-to-vote cards at the upcoming federal election. The two Jewish groups argued in their letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton that the two major political parties should preference each other ahead of the Greens, citing the minor party’s "shameful and cynical behaviour" in the 12 months since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. They also urged Albanese and Dutton to rule out any deal with the Greens to form a minority government.

CORPORATES
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN JEWRY, ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Anti-Israel ACTU stirs Jewish fury

Original article by John Ferguson, Damon Johnston
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 23-Apr-24

The ACTU has called on the federal government to cease military trade with Israel, provide Gaza and the West Bank with a further $100 million in aid, and enforce targeted sanctions against Israeli government officials. It represents the ACTU’s strongest statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict since it began in October; its timing has angered the Jewish community, given that it has been issued on the eve of the holy festival of Passover. Commenting on the statement, Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler says the ACTU appears to be living in an ‘alternative reality’ that ignores the fact that the conflict was started by Hamas, and that it is still holding 130 hostages.

CORPORATES
ACTU, ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA