NSW Premier Chris Minns has declared anti-Semitism needs to be purged from the Labor party, as Jewish groups make a renewed call for a royal commission into the Bondi Beach massacre.
“If we see anti-Semitism inside the Labor Party, we need to confront it. We can’t mince our words here,” Mr Minns told reporters on Wednesday.
“The messages that the Government are saying to the public about hate speech and vilification apply everywhere – they especially must apply to our political parties.
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“Where it’s shown to be an example of racism of anti-Semitism, they need to be kicked out of our party.”
The NSW branch of the Labor Party is investigating an incident in the middle of last year where a regional branch member allegedly said he “did not condemn the Hamas attack on October 7” with The Australian obtaining documents showing no disciplinary action had yet been taken against someone accused of endorsing a terrorist attack on Israel.
“I know they’re looking at that case. They will take action. I’m confident in relation to that,” Mr Minns said.
“I don’t know the ins and outs and the specifics of it. My understanding is there is different recollections but a dispute about what was said.”
The NSW Premier is proceeding with a State-based royal commission into the December 14 Bondi massacre, that killed 15 innocent people, as a coalition of Jewish groups steps up the pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to call a Commonwealth royal commission into the atrocity.
“They’ve made their decision, I’ve made our decision. We are going ahead with a royal commission in New South Wales,” Mr Minns said.
“I’ve also made a decision that I’m not going to get into a long public commentary or yell from the sidelines about this terrorism event.”
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, the Zionist Federation of Australia, Zionism Victoria, the Zionist Council of NSW, the State Zionist Council of QLD, the State Zionist Council of South Australia, the State Zionist Council of WA, the ACT Zionist Council, the National Council of Jewish Women of Australia, Women’s International Zionist Organisation Australia, the Australasian Union of Jewish Students, the Rabbinical Council of Australia, the Rabbinical Council of NSW, the Rabbinical Council of Victoria, the Australasian Zionist Youth Council, and the Union for Progressive Judaism on Wednesday issued a joint statement calling for the establishment of a Commonwealth royal commission into anti-Semitism.
“This tragedy has occurred against the backdrop of an unprecedented surge in anti-Semitism across Australia,” they said.
“For more than two years since 7 October 2023, and with increasing urgency, our organisations have consistently warned that escalating antisemitic incitement and activity across streets, campuses, online spaces and elsewhere would have serious and dangerous consequences.
“This attack underscores the real-world impact of a climate in which hatred, intimidation and violence have been allowed to proliferate.”
Instead of a royal commission, the Albanese Government has asked Dennis Richardson, the former head of Defence and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to analyse intelligence failures ahead of the Bondi massacre, with anti-Semitism absent from the terms of reference.
