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| The Western Wall, Jerusalem |
On Feb. 6, Australia’s parliament passed a bill to amend the current crime legislation to include “hate crimes.” Widely criticized as an attack on freedom of speech by conservatives, the legislation, which will become law once it is signed by the Governor-General, was meant to be a demonstration of the government’s response to ongoing antisemitism. Rather than represent action against antisemitism, however, the bill is more talk that does little to address the inaction of authorities at both the state and federal level to prosecute those who have terrorized and continue to terrorize Australia’s Jewish community.
My latest in the Jewish Journal, Australia’s Weak Response to Antisemitic Hate Crime.
Once again, the term antisemitism cannot be uttered by itself, it must be surrounded by a diversity word salad or, in the same breath, included with Islamophobia. https://t.co/fzEtVAPS1q
— Dr Michael de Percy (@FlaneurPolitiq) February 21, 2025