Government envoy lays out plan to combat rising anti-Semitism in Australia

Social cohesion has frayed and anti-Semitism has escalated and become more violent, says new Government special envoy, Jillian Segal.

The country’s first special envoy on anti-Semitism wants weekly pro-Palestine rallies moved from the Sydney CBD, labelling them “intimidatory and harassing’’.

Admitting the government and police could have acted sooner to curb the rising swell of anti-Semitism affecting ­Australia’s 117,000 Jews, Jillian Segal said the weekly protests in the city centre should be banished to parks outside the CBD.

“Anti-Semitism has escalated in Australia and has become more violent in nature – it started on October 9, on the steps of the Opera House, when people were chanting ‘F the Jews’ or ‘gas the Jews’. Police, the government and university leaders did not appreciate how bad it was and how quickly things escalate,” Ms Segal said.

The envoy to anti-Semitism has called for pro-Palestinian protests to be moved out of the CBD. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

“I now think there is a realisation of how bad and unacceptable it is and how it must be called out and dealt with.

“I want to see the legislation of no demonstrations outside places of worship because to criticise a religion that (goes against) an essential part of our democracy.

“The permits to demonstrate in the CBD should not continue – they (rallies) have become intimidatory and harassing. I want to see them moved to a place like a park outside the CBD where it will not affect the general community from carrying on with their business and their shopping, and where it’s not going to be intimidatory to the ­Jewish community.”

Special Envoy to Combat Anti Semitism in Australia Jillian Segal AO wants weekly pro-Palestine rallies moved from the Sydney CBD. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Ms Segal, a former president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry who said last year “there can be no ceasefire (in Gaza) until every hostage has been released”, was appointed envoy by Anthony Albanese in July and said she planned to join with the special envoy on Islamophobia Aftab Malik to ­address the specifics of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia as “it’s important for social ­cohesion”.

“Anti-Semitism is an age-old hatred that morphs over the centuries but is based on tropes and hatred against Jews and undermines the whole of society. I believe education is the key to undoing hatred,” she said.

“Social cohesion in Australia has become frayed,” says Special Anti Semitism Envoy, Jillian Segal. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Ms Segal has advocated for the National Student Ombudsman who deals with sexual complaints to also tackle anti-Semitism at universities from February.

“It’s crucial that universities improve their complaints processes and that they are a safe place for students and staff,” she said.

Jillian Segal AO who is Special Envoy to Combat Anti Semitism in Australia, pictured in her Sydney CBD office. Picture: Jonathan Ng

As an independent government adviser she was an early advocate of a task force which evolved into Operation Avalight of special terrorism investigators set up to focus on threats, violence, and hatred toward the Australian Jewish community and parliamentarians.

“It’s something I was passionate about,” she said.

“There are instances of community members who do feel extremely threatened and unsafe because that’s what terrorism is about, is to terrorise people and to make them feel unsafe, and they’re looking to leave or to send their children to school, university, overseas, and that’s shameful.

“Social cohesion has become frayed, but I hope and think it can be repaired and I believe I can make a difference.

“I have experienced anti-Semitism in small ways, small insults, comments and how you look.

“But I’ve never experienced the sort of anti-Semitism that every day Jewish Australians are experiencing ... there is online hatred, abuse in the streets, violence … it’s more extreme and violent now and it must be condemned by everyone.”