Prime Minister Albanese urged by Jewish leaders to match tough new laws promised by Dutton

As Peter Dutton gives an “absolute commitment” that the Coalition will stamp out the “national scourge” of anti-Semitism, Jewish leaders challenge PM to match his plans.

Jewish leaders have urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to match tough new proposals announced by Peter Dutton aimed at stamping out anti-Semitism, headlined by increased jail sentences.

The Opposition leader unveiled the new pledges – including a minimum mandatory six-year jail term for terrorism offences – to tackle what he described as a “national crisis” following a slew of shocking anti-Semitic attacks around the country.

Speaking at Bondi’s Central Synagogue on Monday, Mr Dutton also confirmed his government would convene a national cabinet tackling anti-Semitism if it won the election, with Jewish leaders welcoming the move following the horrific fire attack on an eastern suburbs home previously owned by senior Jewish figure Alex Ryvchin.

Mr Dutton gave an “absolute commitment” that if elected the Coalition would “stamp out anti-Semitism in our country”, describing it as a “national scourge”.

“At the moment, the Prime Minister is playing politics with this issue because he sees political advantage in some Green seats by abrogating his responsibility as Prime Minister that he has to people of Jewish faith and to all Australians – and enough is enough,” Mr Dutton claimed.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton with Rabbi Levi Wolfe at the Central Synagogue in Bondi Junction, Sydney. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

The Coalition’s promises include a one-year mandatory jail term for publicly displaying banned Nazi and terrorist symbols including flags, and increasing penalties for anyone urging or threatening violence towards a place of worship to up to seven years’ jail.

Peter Wertheim, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said he hoped the measures would receive bipartisan support.

Mr Wertheim said a “co-ordinated response” was needed to turn back the trend of anti-Semitic incidents in Australia, headlined by the attack last week on the former home of Mr Ryvchin, his co-CEO at the council, which included the torching of two cars.

Mr Wertheim said the matter could not be achieved without a national cabinet including federal, state and territory leaders.

“We welcome the recommitment to convening a national cabinet, and we look forward to these ideas being developed and hopefully becoming bipartisan,” he said.

Lynda Ben-Menashe, national President of the National Council of Jewish Women Australia, also welcomed the move.

“These protections of Australians’ basic right to safety in our streets are what all citizens expect, and what the government should have delivered months ago,” she said.

The Coalition outlined a raft of tough new laws proposed to crack down on anti-Semitism on Monday. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday resisted calls for a national cabinet on anti-Semitism, after meeting with NSW and Victoria leaders on the issue last week.

“What people want to see isn’t more meetings, they want to see more action,” Mr Albanese said, pointing to the first arrest last week by Operation Avalite, which was established with the Australian Federal Police to tackle anti-Semitism.

The government has maintained it has done its part to combat anti-Semitism, including legislating a ban on the Nazi salute and hate symbols, announcing $25 million for improved safety and security at Jewish sites across the country, and on Friday unveiling a $100m plan to counter violent extremism.