Josh Frydenberg: Premier Jacinta Allan normalises Victoria’s anti-Semitism ‘pandemic’

Since the Hamas atrocities of October 7 last year, Victoria’s multiculturalism has come under attack and our social cohesion has broken down — and there is one person to blame.

It was Victoria’s greatest ever farewell.

Upon the death of Sir John Monash in 1931 more than 250,000 Melburnians lined the streets to pay their respects.

Our nation’s greatest citizen soldier and a very proud Jew.

I often ask myself what would Monash say, and more importantly what would Monash do, if he was alive today to witness the violent anti-Semitism that has engulfed our state?

The answer is he would use his voice to speak out and his influence to seek change.

And so must we.

Make no mistake Victoria has become the epicentre of a pandemic of hate.

We make up almost half of the more than 2000 anti-Semitic attacks that have been recorded across Australia over the past year.

It is not enough for the Premier Jacinta Allen to say “my priority is a cohesive society where all Victorians feel safe and respected” because that is not where we are at.

Nor is it OK for the Premier to tell the Jewish community — as she did after October 7 — ‘I am prepared to offer any support you need to stay safe on our streets, in your schools and in your homes” because that is not what is being done.

You see talk is cheap and these words come easy.

The Adass Synagogue bombing was rightly called out as a terrorist attack — just not by our Premier. Picture: David Crosling

But like with the Prime Minister, the responsibility rests at the Premier’s door.

Anti-Semitism has become normalised on her watch.

What Victoria urgently needs is a Premier who will walk the talk and reclaim our streets.

A Premier who will no longer tolerate the intolerant and recognise extremists cannot be appeased.

A Premier who will direct the police to enforce the law and where necessary strengthen the law.

While other states are leading, Victoria is lagging.

Just consider what we have seen in our state over the last year.

The Adass synagogue was firebombed and rightly called out as a terrorist attack that very same day by the NSW Premier, Chris Minns.

But not by our Premier who came out with mealy mouthed words that lacked the moral clarity to call it out for what it was.

We have seen a Rabbi’s home vandalised with menacing messages that ‘Jews kill babies’ while pro Palestinian protests intimidate worshippers outside their local synagogue.

We have seen our houses of learning become hotbeds of hate.

While other state’s lead with strong anti-Semitism laws, Victoria lags. Picture: Nadir Kinani

Local Victorian traditions have all been disrupted by the pro Palestinian protesters who have been given free rein.

At the University of Melbourne pro Palestinian activists occupied the Arts building, broke into the library and terrorised Jewish staff requiring police to be called.

‘Jew Die’ was daubed across the front of Melbourne’s largest Jewish school while at the same time Victorian teachers think it’s OK for hundreds of their students to walk out of their classrooms to attend a pro Palestinian March in the CBD.

Our educators are clearly in need of an education.

We saw a violent mob descend on Caulfield to falsely accuse Jews of burning down a burger joint while hardly a day goes by in our state without pro Palestinian protesters holding up signs labelling Jews as Nazis, Zionists as terrorists while waiving the flags of a terrorist organisation and calling for the extermination of the State of Israel.

International events like the Australian Open, international visitors like Jerry Seinfeld and cherished local traditions like the Myer Christmas window have all been disrupted by the pro Palestinian protesters who have been given free rein.

Not to mention the ugly scenes outside the Land Forces Expo that shut down our city and saw police officers and their horses brutally attacked.

Pro-Palestine activists occupied University of Melbourne’s Arts building and terrorised Jewish staff. Picture: Supplied.

Across Melbourne Jewish-owned businesses are boycotted and vandalised, Jewish artists are doxxed and cancelled and Jewish politicians have seen their offices attacked.

The Premier couldn’t even protect the grieving families of the Israeli hostages when they visited Melbourne.

Pro Palestinian protesters descending on their hotel forcing these families to evacuate to safety at the nearest police station.

At the end of the day it is the state government who has responsibility for local police and primary responsibility for the community’s security.

And it is the state government’s inadequate response to date that has emboldened those who hate and those who harm.

This must change.

The Premier and her government must step up and meet this challenge head on.

Ban demonstrations outside places of worship. The NSW Premier is already on to this.

Synagogues, Mosques, Churches and Temples must be safe spaces for people to gather peacefully and practice the religion of their choice.

Demonstrators should no longer be allowed to conceal their identity and continue with their chants of hate.

The government was prepared and rightly so, to ban the Nazi salute.

Why not now at this time of heightened risk extend these restrictions in the interest of community protection?

Victoria needs a Premier who will no longer tolerate the intolerant. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Only days ago ASIO boss Mike Burgess called on the public to ‘watch our words’ saying ‘inflated language leads to inflated tension and that can lead to violence.’

So too the government should follow NSW and introduce a permit system for demonstrations while reintroducing move on powers, so families, traders and the wider community get some relief from the daily barrage of hate and violence.

I noticed the Premier has indicated her reluctance to introduce a permit system saying she didn’t ‘think’ the people who want to disrupt our events ‘are going to apply for a permit’ saying ‘they won’t’.

That is a remarkable statement to say the least.

The whole point of having a law is to ensure it is enforced and if the Premier can’t ensure the law is enforced then who can?

For many years Victoria has been a showcase for multiculturalism with our diversity being our strength.

But since the Hamas atrocities of October 7 last year, our multiculturalism has come under attack and our social cohesion has broken down.

Now more than ever we need strong leadership, a Premier who is prepared to do what is needed and step up to protect our community and our State.

Josh Frydenberg is the former Treasurer of Australia.