Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin says Allan government has ‘failed to act' on antisemitism, demands crackdown on hate speech

Sky News AU

8 hours ago

The Victorian Opposition has accused the Allan government of not doing enough to combat antisemitism, claiming the hate speech had been allowed to turn into action.
Melbourne's Jewish community were the target of multiple incidents over the weekend, including an alleged arson attack on an East Melbourne Synagogue.
Premier Jacinta Allan visited the East Melbourne Jewish Congregation on Monday morning after announcing the launch of a new anti-hate taskforce which will bring together senior government ministers, Victoria police, and representatives of the Jewish community.
However Opposition Leader Brad Battin said the Premier had made similar pledges to address the growth in antisemitism following the firebombing of the Addas Israel synagogue last year and nothing had happened.
'She came out in December when we had the attack already on a synagogue with a firebombing, and said with a media statement, the things they were going to do to fix this, to get rid of hate crime in Victoria. Not one of them has been delivered,' Mr Battin told Sky News Australia.
'I think the real focus for many people in the Jewish communities is what's happening. We don't want more media releases. We want action.'
Mr Battin said the failure to address had caused members of the Jewish community to fear going to their places of worship.
'We're getting to a stage now it's almost embarrassing, particularly here in Victoria and Melbourne,' he said.
'We've got communities that we're seeing more and more through these synagogues who are afraid to go to their own place of worship.
'A government's responsibility should be to protect that freedom that is their right to do that. A government should ensure that happens.
'And that includes making sure that we can have move on laws to stop the protests, protecting people in the street and get rid of the hate crimes as well as some of the hate speech has been happening here in Victoria.'
While acknowledging the government could not arrest its way out of the problem, Mr Battin said the government could start by cracking down on hate speech, arguing it was driving some of the incidents.
'Hate speech leads to action, and the actions we're seeing is not just the synagogues, but it's restaurants owned by people within the Jewish community,' he said.
'So our priority have always said we'd have the move on laws brought back in… because when we had them, they worked. We gave the police the powers to move people on when it was the potential of a violent protest or there were specific speech in there with hate speech.'
The Opposition Leader also called for a crackdown on signs calling for 'death" to particular groups. This comes after signs of 'death, death to the IDF' and 'glory to the Martyrs' were spotted at a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Sunday.
'We're seeing signs come out more and more now with death to a group. So 'death to Jews', 'death to Zionism'. How is it acceptable? I can't threaten to kill someone and get away with it," Mr Battin said.
'How could it be acceptable to go out into the community and say, I'm threatening to kill a whole group.
'What you're that is leading to is people who are on the borderline will end up acting. And what we're seeing now is those actions from that original hate speech is what the consequences are.
'And the government has failed to act on this.'
However Mr Battin said a 'national approach' to address the growth in antisemitism and protect people's freedom to worship was needed.
'There does need to be a national approach. We all admit there has to be a national approach, at some stage on this around hate crimes and around hate laws.'
Speaking outside the East Melbourne Synagogue on Monday, Premier Jacinta Allan pledged to 'put a stop to hate' and 'put a stop to antisemitism.'
'Not only does it have no place here in Melbourne and Victoria, it has no place anywhere,' she said.
'I'll continue to stand with the strong, proud Jewish community here in Victoria every single day, every single day. They are a big, important part of our community. They demand our support at this most difficult time.
'They demand our action, which is why, alongside strengthening laws, the response of Victorian Police, we will continue to work to build a stronger place where everyone can be who they are, practice their faith safe, free from hate.'