Allan government scrambles to beef up efforts to tackle antisemitism with new anti-hate taskforce

Sydney Morning Herald

4 days ago

Victoria Police declined to comment on the identity of the person or the nature of the groups involved.
Premier Jacinta Allan, who is expected to visit East Melbourne Synagogue on Monday, will announce that the new anti-hate taskforce will meet this week for the first time.
In a statement to The Age, the premier said the group would initially include state government representatives including herself and the police minister, Lord Mayor Nick Reece and police representatives, but its membership would grow over time. Invitations will also be sent to members of Melbourne's Jewish community for the taskforce's first meeting this week.
Allan described the attack on the synagogue as a 'sickening' crime. She said her government would soon receive the Lekakis review into the multicultural sector, which is expected to make recommendations about requiring organisations to sign a 'social cohesion pledge' before receiving funding.
At the pro-Palestinian protest on Sunday, a protest leader opened the event by condemning the attack on the synagogue, where 20 worshippers were gathered for a meal on the weekly Jewish holy day of Shabbat, on Friday night.
A large, watermelon-inspired sign reading 'Ceasefire Now' led the marchers down Swanston Street. Other protesters carried signs reading 'Death, death to the IDF', 'Glory to the Martyrs' and 'You're sick of us? We're sick of Israel killing children'.
Speakers at the rally focused heavily on the killing by Israeli forces of hundreds of starving Palestinian civilians as they tried to secure food at the stations run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
On Sunday, state Opposition Leader Brad Battin said the government should give police stronger powers to move on protesters, which the Coalition has pledged to reintroduce if elected.
'When we had those laws here in Victoria, the police had the power to move people on, and protests like this could be stopped before they got to the stage they are these days,' Battin said. 'There needs to be some big changes so you can feel safe in the community as a Jewish person living here in Victoria.'
Battin said police officers wanted the laws and there would be a 'clear vote' on the issue at the 2026 election.
In December, the Allan government pledged new measures to tackle a rise in antisemitic incidents, including the arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea.
These included bans on the display of flags and symbols from listed terrorist organisations in public, face masks at protests and the use of glue, rope, chains and other attachment devices to cause disruptions.
New laws will also be introduced to protect places of worship, with consultation under way on the best methods, including the potential establishment of 'safe access areas' prohibiting protests, or the strengthening of existing offences.
Allan government minister Colin Brooks said the government condemned Friday's attacks, and pointed to the government's forthcoming legislation.
'It's not protest; that is hate-fuelled mob violence and crime,' he said.
'The premier's been very strong on this. We've seen the police respond very quickly ... There's a lot of work that the Victorian government is doing to stamp this out.'
Liberal MP David Southwick said the government should have already implemented its proposed laws, given it was seven months after they were announced.
'The Jewish community feel under siege,' he said. 'What is the government waiting for? We saw it happen at Adass. It should have been a warning sign for the government to get off their backsides and ensure that the community can be kept safe.'
A source in the pro-Palestine movement, who asked to speak anonymously, said the protesters at Miznon were 'dickheads that think they are righteous and have the right to impact innocent bystanders.
'It ruins public opinion – they do it in Palestine's name and not one Palestinian was there.'
The Whistleblowers, Activists & Communities Alliance, a group tied to the storming of the Miznon restaurant, urged the public to 'stop clutching their pearls' and instead focus on the conflict in Gaza.