Prime Minister Albanese under new pressure to visit synagogue attack site
The Coalition has queried why the Prime Minister hasn’t visited the site of a horror firebombing, as $32.5 million was announced for security around Jewish institutions.
NSW
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The horror firebombing of a synagogue has finally been labelled terrorism by the Prime Minister two days after the attack, as pressure mounts on Anthony Albanese to show his face at the burnt out place of worship.
It came as the Coalition hit back at claims from Labor that it was politicising the attack on the Melbourne synagogue, as well as launching new criticism at Multicultural Affairs Minister Tony Burke for not being visible enough in the wake of the incident.
“The Prime Minister should explain what was more important to him than showing his support for the Jewish community at this terrible time,” Opposition Home Affairs spokesman James Paterson said.
“He could have at least sent one of his senior national security ministers on Friday, Saturday or Sunday as an act of solidarity following a terrorist attack.”
Mr Paterson also lashed Mr Burke, saying “it’s hard to imagine (he) would have been this mute if it was a mosque instead of a synagogue which was targeted in a terror attack like this”.
“He is Home Affairs Minister for all Australians, not just some Australians and the least he could do is front up and explain what the government is doing to support the Jewish community and make sure this never happens again.”
The comments came amid growing pressure on Mr Albanese to visit the scene of the attack, after he labelled it terrorism following two days of pressure, including from Jewish former Liberal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
“My personal opinion is yes (it is terrorism), but there is a technical process,” the Prime Minister said from Perth, where he was on the third day of a Western Australian blitz.
Mr Albanese flew back to the east coast on Sunday and is due to spend Monday in Canberra.
He said Federal Police would meet with their Victorian counterparts on Monday to decide whether to officially designate the Friday firebombing as an act of terrorism, an act which would trigger more federal resources being poured into the investigation.
“But if you want my personal view quite clearly, terrorism is something that is aimed at creating fear in the community and the atrocities that occurred at the synagogue in Melbourne clearly were designed to create fear in the community,” Mr Albanese said.
“And therefore, from my personal perspective, (the act) certainly fulfil(s) that definition of terrorism.”
The Prime Minister also personally called Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Peter Wertheim on Sunday morning, ahead of announcing an extra $32.5 million fund for security for the Jewish community and institutions.
Following Mr Albanese’s Sunday comments, Mr Burke agreed the act was terrorism, and hit back at suggestions over his visibility since the incident, saying he had issued statements to the media “that day and each day since”.
“As I’ve said repeatedly, I condemn this disgusting attack in the strongest possible terms … I hope the police quickly find whoever is responsible and throw the book at them. This attack was horrific and evil,” he said.
Mr Burke also said he was receiving regular briefings from security agencies and was working closely with anti-Semitism envoy Jillian Segal.
“I share the personal view of the Prime Minister that this fits the definition of terrorism,” he said.
New photos from the Adass Israel Synagogue show it was completely gutted in the Friday morning attack, with those behind the torching yet to be identified.
A rusty bullet was also seized on Saturday directly outside of the synagogue.
In the hours after the attack, the Prime Minister rang the Israeli President and the Australian Federal Police Commissioner, while he visited and spoke at a synagogue in Perth on Saturday.
Sunday’s comments come after one of the Albanese Government’s other frontbenchers, Senator Murray Watt, was accused of belittling the firebombing by accusing former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg of making politically motivated comments.
Senator Watt told Sky News although he “respect(ed) the fact Mr Frydenberg is of the Jewish faith … I don’t think we can separate the fact that he has a very long career as a Liberal Party politician”.
Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg labelled Senator Watt’s comments “unfortunate”.
“I think to label (Mr Frydenberg’s comments) as just making a statement for political purposes, I think it actually belittles the seriousness of the terror attack that we saw against the Jewish community in Melbourne,” he said.
Former Labor Defence Minister Mike Kelly said it was “completely wrong” to suggest Mr Frydenberg, whose great-grandparents were murdered in the Holocaust, had been speaking out as part of a political agenda.
“I know Murray Watt, he is a good guy, and I’m sure that if he reflects on this, he’ll probably think better of it,” he said.
“I’m sure that Murray will reflect on what he said and I hope he issues an apology to Josh.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns also confirmed on Sunday his government would look at fast tracking new laws to restrict protests outside places of worship including synagogues, to be modelled on existing legislation which makes rallying outside abortion clinics an offence.
Rabbi hits out at Labor’s inaction
One of Sydney’s senior Jewish leaders has lashed Labor’s reaction to growing anti-Semitism in Australia over the last year, adding that security would “100 per cent” be stepped up at Bondi’s synagogue in the wake of a horror firebombing in Melbourne.
Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, the chief rabbi of Chabad of Bondi synagogue, said the Friday attack should have been labelled terrorism from the start, and that Jewish people had been made to feel “like the guilty party” since the October 7 atrocities last year.
“There’s no question about it (being an act of terror), and it’s something we spoke about at every opportunity with members of the political world,” he said.
“From the beginning on October 7 there was very little done to protect the Jewish community and to really hold those that carry on with hate speech and threats … accountable.
“Many times the Jewish people were told to stay away from specific places … the Jewish people almost felt like the guilty party.”
Rabbi Ulman said more had to be done to stamp out anti-Semitism following the Melbourne attack.
“What has happened now, should never have happened – and the members of our community … feel a lot of the fault is within the Labor government – it starts with the leadership,” he said.
“We’d like to see much more done about it – the fact it’s an act of terror, is a given. The question is what will be done about it.”
The NSW Government has since announced it’ll pursue “urgent changes” to the law to restrict protests outside places of worship including synagogues, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced $32.5 million to increase security around Jewish institutions.
While Rabbi Ulman called the funding “a positive gesture”, he said the government had to ensure “a zero tolerance … of anti-Semitism”.
Asked if Sydney Jews has become more scared for their wellbeing in the last year, Rabbi Ulman said: “I have a lot of faith in God’s protection”.
“I don’t believe in living in fear … we have to walk proud with our heads high (and be) more proud of our Jewish observance and traditions,” he said.
“The way we counteract (hate) is increasing our acts of goodness and kindness.”
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