Chris Kenny: Let’s go now live to the shadow education minister Sarah Henderson, thanks for joining us. Sarah, I wonder whether you could first share your thoughts on the latest developments, the fact that Anthony Albanese has had something of a national Cabinet meeting on these issues and the fact that police have made an arrest.
Senator Henderson: Well, Chris, good afternoon. It is certainly positive that police have arrested this person, so some progress on that shocking attack on the synagogue. But let’s not forget, Chris, this is a national crisis that requires national leadership, and we have seen the Prime Minister missing in action. It has taken him months and months to call a national Cabinet meeting just to bring the relevant ministers around the table from the states and territories, and that’s appalling. He’s made no response at all to our package of tougher criminal laws that we have announced, and of course, Peter Dutton has absolutely led the charge in saying there must be a zero tolerance approach of anti semitism, and as we’ve talked about many times, Chris, Ground Zero is our universities, where we saw for many, many months, the Education Minister Jason Clare and the Prime Minister taking no action on the horrific protests, the encampments, the threats to Jewish students and staff. And of course, when you embolden these people, this is what happens. It is absolutely shocking, and as I say, this is a national crisis, and we have seen no leadership at all from the Prime Minister.
Chris Kenny: What about these reports that there is intelligence suggesting that Overseas Interests could be involved behind these attacks? What more do we know about that? What more should we know?
Senator Henderson: Well, of course, the Australian Federal Police had a brief national cabinet about this, and it is, of course, a very serious situation, and further evidence that this is not just a matter of community safety and a matter of safety for the Jewish community, but also national security. It’s deeply concerning, Chris. But as I say, the lack of action from this government on this growing antisemitism crisis is ricocheting around the world, and we now have Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel, saying, Does someone have to die? What needs to happen before we can see the appropriate amount of action from this hopeless and incompetent government? So at the very least, the Prime Minister needs to match the package of reforms that we have announced, led by Peter Dutton, including, of course, mandatory minimum sentences for terrorism of six years. This is domestic terrorism, Chris, it is extremely frightening. It is extremely serious, and it is about time this Prime Minister started treating this issue with the seriousness it deserves.
Chris Kenny: Well, the extraordinary thing, of course, is that the coalition, the opposition, as you say, as well as community leaders and media commentators, so many people, have been calling for tougher rhetoric and tougher action and tougher law enforcement since October 2023 more than 15 months ago. Yet we have heard this from the Prime Minister now claiming that he’s actually been taking action,
Anthony Albanese: ‘Peter Dutton, for someone who was responsible for some national security issues, as Minister for Home Affairs should know better. We have acted. We have established the first envoy on anti semitism that could have been done by the former government. We have outlawed Nazi and hate symbols that could have been done by the former government. We have outlawed doxing that could have been done by the former government. We’ve provided increased security funding for synagogues, places of worship, schools, etc, that could have been done by the former government as well.’
Chris Kenny: I’ve got to say, Sarah Henderson, he seems all at sea. He just doesn’t understand this. They’ve been lacking in tough rhetoric and action right from the start. And also, I think what plays into this very strongly, and I think the Israeli deputy foreign minister has picked up on this point as well, that over the past year, Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong and the Albanese Labor government have spent more time criticising Israel than they have criticising Hamas and the other Islamist terrorist organisations.
Senator Henderson: Look absolutely, and of course we’ve seen the horrific statements of some Greens members. They are an anti-Semitic party, and just imagine if the Greens were in partnership with Labor in a minority government after the next election, just imagine what would happen to this country, Chris. I cannot bear to think about it, and what rubbish from the Prime Minister. The Hamas terrorist attack on the seventh of October happened under his government, and we have seen weak and insipid and incompetent leadership. When the Hizb ut-Tahrir extremist members were out on university grounds, the prime minister said nothing. The Education Minister did not object to this. We called for the police to be called in to get rid of the encampments which were fuelling so much hate and incitement. And again, the government did nothing. From the very beginning, whether it’s in our schools, our universities, and, of course, the horrific attack on the childcare centre in Sydney, it has all been just bits and pieces, too little too late from this incompetent, hopeless Prime Minister. He should be announcing today that he will match Peter Dutton’s package of reforms to ensure that this antisemitism crisis is stamped out in this country. It is really horrific.
Chris Kenny: It’s a shocking situation
Senator Henderson: Not just for Jewish Australians, Chris, it is horrific for all of Australia. If this can happen to the Jewish community, it can happen to any community.
Chris Kenny: Too right, Sarah Henderson, I could not agree more. It’s a very tragic situation for our country, and as I say, on this issue alone, this mob do not deserve to be leading such a great country because it is doing so much damage to our social cohesion and our national security. Thanks so much for joining us, Sarah.