Topics: ICC’s arrest warrant for Israeli PM, university encampments.
Kieran Gilbert: Let’s go live to one of (Peter Dutton’s) frontbenchers, the Shadow Education Minister, Sarah Henderson, who’s been in the Press Club with Angus Taylor. Sarah Henderson, thanks for your time. I want to ask you about a big story this week, and that is the referral by the ICC. They want an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister. If they succeed in arresting or, you know, issuing that warrant, would you like Australia to remove itself from the International Criminal Court as a member?
Senator Henderson: Well, Kieran, good afternoon and really great to join you. Well, we’ve made our position very clear on the ICC’s attempt to issue an arrest warrant to the leader of a democratic country being Israel. It is absolutely appalling to draw any sort of equivalence between the prime minister of Israel and the leaders of Hamas, a terrorist organisation. We condemn the ICC, and we join very firmly with President Biden and the United States administration, which has also condemned this decision. We will wait and see, Kieran, to answer your question as to what happens. I do hope, though, that common sense prevails.
Kieran Gilbert: I’ve seen you issue a statement today on social media calling for tougher action by universities in dealing with the encampments. It’s a fluid situation. What’s the latest on that front? I know you’ve been visiting a number of the universities.
Senator Henderson: Well, Kieran, firstly let me say we’ve seen a shocking failure of leadership by the Albanese government and the education minister, Jason Clare. They have not thrown the book at universities, when universities are basically tolerating antisemitic hate and vilification on university campuses. A number of universities have done a really good job at stepping up, the likes of Deakin University and Monash, where the encampments are basically closed down and they’ve taken a very strong line. They support free speech, Kieran. They support free assembly, the right to protest. But when protesters cross the line and intimidate and harass and discriminate and subject Jewish students to fear and vilification, that is just not acceptable. And what we are seeing, unfortunately, at University of Sydney is a failure to take the tough action required. The Vice Chancellor, Mark Scott, has said they won’t take any action against the use of terrorist chants `Intifada’, `River to the Sea’, nor the encampment which is actually fuelling a terrible levels of antisemitism. I say `That’s not good enough’. The university has taken no action against classroom invasions, which are frightening, particularly for Jewish students and staff. They are not consistently enforcing their rules and regulations and codes of conduct. So if that’s not happening, the government’s got to do something. And this government is failing in its duty to keep all students safe on university campuses. And I can tell you that will not happen under a Coalition government.
Kieran Gilbert: Shadow Education Minister, Sarah Henderson, thank you. Our chat a bit brief due to Mr Dutton’s news conference, but thank you for making the time.