Stirling Griff (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, before moving general business notice of motion No. 279, I wish to inform the chamber that Senator O'Neill will also sponsor the motion. I, and also on behalf of Senator O'Neill, move:

That the Senate—

(a) acknowledges that anti-Semitic attacks involving face-to-face interactions surged 30% in the year to September, according to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry's annual report on anti-Semitism;

(b) notes that incidents involving direct verbal anti-Semitic abuse, harassment and intimidation increased from 88 to 114, and graffiti attacks more than doubled from 46 to 95;

(c) further notes that, according to the report, anti-Semitic attacks have included physical assaults to abuse, harassment, vandalism and graffiti, threats via emails, letters, phone calls, posters, stickers and leaflets;

(d) repudiates all anti-Semitic attacks in Australia; and

(e) calls for increased Holocaust education in all Australian schools.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government joins this motion to acknowledge the anti-Semitic abuse and violence and to repudiate all anti-Semitic attacks in Australia. Holocaust education is a crucially important part of combating anti-Semitism, and the government has a strong track record in this area. In April of this year, for example, the government committed to provide $10 million to Melbourne's Jewish Holocaust Centre to help increase its educational activities. Repudiating anti-Semitic discrimination is one of the objectives of the government's proposed religious discrimination bill. Specific school curriculum issues are generally a matter for the relevant state or territory education authority, but the government welcomes all efforts to combat anti-Semitism at every level of government around the country.

Question agreed to.