Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to stand on these steps at the seat of democracy in Victoria – and say never again.
Never again is now.
The antisemitic hate and incitement and harassment and intimidation and discrimination must stop.
Thank you to Mark Leach for bringing us together – to unite us, and not divide.
On behalf of the Coalition led by Peter Dutton – including my friend Senator James Paterson from whom you have just heard – we say – our country deserves better.
All Australians have a right to be safe in our own country.
That includes Jewish Australians – in your businesses, your synagogues, in the community, in the street and online, when you walk to school or study at a university.
Just as we celebrate and respect Australians of all faiths, race, or heritage, we honour Jewish Australians. The Star of David shines brightly in this country.
As Shadow Minister for Education, I join with you in condemning the alarming rise in antisemitism at our schools and universities:
• the school strikes;
• the posters and chants and slogans of antisemitic hate and incitement;
• the activism and indoctrination in classrooms;
• the encouragement of young children to chant terrorist slogans;
• the endorsement of the horrific actions of Hamas by teachers and students;
• the classroom invasions where those who don’t support the activists’ cause are photographed and vilified like something from the 1930s;
• the protests and occupation of buildings which breach university rules against intimidation and harassment;
• the failure to take disciplinary and police action against those responsible;
• the camps of hate which fuel antisemitism and embolden radical activists.
Everyone has a right to be safe on a university campus.
Yesterday we saw terrible scenes of violence and incitement at the ALP state conference – police were called, and the protestors were forced to leave.
I say to this Premier and Prime Minister – we need to see the same strong response at our universities.
In the face of the unlawful occupation of buildings, trespass, violence, hate and incitement which has shut down classes and at Melbourne Uni created chaos along with some other universities, I say – bring in the police, restore law and order so that students and staff can work and learn in safety.
I acknowledge some university leaders are starting to step up and enforce their policies – but there is still a long way to go, compounded by this federal government which has failed the test of leadership in adopting a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism at universities.
I say to the Minister for Education Jason Clare – antisemitic slogans and chants do not mean different things to different people.
Our leaders – in government and at our universities – must have the moral courage to say never again is now. Not speak out of both sides of their mouth.
I am inspired by Ben Sasse – the president of the University of Florida, who said –
We will always defend your rights to free speech and free assembly—but if you cross the line on clearly prohibited activities, you will be thrown off campus and suspended. … that means a three-year prohibition from campus. That’s serious. We said it. We meant it. We enforced it. We wish we didn’t have to, but the students weighed the costs, made their decisions, and will own the consequences as adults. We’re a university, not a daycare. We don’t coddle emotions; we wrestle with ideas.”
Words mean nothing without action.
Universities must take disciplinary and police action against every person who breaches university polices or the law, without exception.
Every university must end the encampments and regulate the time and place of protests.
Appeasing the mob only emboldens the anti-Semites.
This must stop.
Never again is now, thank you.