By Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman
After months of concern, during which the wheels of government have turned painfully slowly, it looks like Labor is gearing up to finally appoint a special antisemitism envoy.
Regular readers will recall that the position was flagged months and months ago as a response to rising attacks against Jewish people. Many MPs of various stripes have supported the idea, including Labor’s Josh Burns and teal independent Allegra Spender.
Jillian SegalCredit: Nick Moir
The position had been set to be announced alongside an Islamophobia envoy, but now it seems the government will go it alone on the antisemitism envoy, supplying the newly created post with staff and a budget. Appointing an appropriate Islamophobia envoy has proved more of a challenge.
As for the who – CBD hears that lawyer and business executive Jillian Segal will be appointed shortly. When CBD reached her on Wednesday, it was a firm no comment. And Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office ghosted us, as is its standard operating procedure.
Segal has a storied CV which includes positions as chair of the Sir John Monash Foundation and board member of the Sydney Opera House Foundation.
She’s also immediate past president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. While Segal sounds pretty well qualified, given the political divisions within the Jewish community we imagine not everyone will be happy.
NEW REPUBLIC
It’s been a brutal few years for the Australian Republic Movement. When long-term chair Peter FitzSimons stepped down shortly after Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022, there was much optimism about Australia breaking from the monarchy in the near future.
Labor even made Matt Thistlethwaite the assistant minister for the republic, and the government was bullish about a second-term referendum, once the Indigenous Voice to parliament had succeeded, of course.
Well, we all know how that went, and the spectacular failure of last year’s referendum has cooled the government’s appetite for a republic push any time soon.
Youth advocate Yasmin Poole.Credit: James Brickwood
Things only got worse for the ARM when its two high-profile co-chairs, former Socceroo turned human rights advocate Craig Foster and ex-Olympian and Labor senator Nova Peris, left in quick succession this year amid division between the pair over the war in Gaza.
The ARM called snap elections for the national committee, and the results indicate that the organisation has struggled to get anyone with the star power of Fitz, Foz or Peris in the mix.
Among the highest-profile of the new faces is youth advocate Yasmin Poole, who was one of a select few Australians, alongside football star Sam Kerr and balladeer Nick Cave, to get a seat at King Charles’ coronation last year. She was elected youth convenor.
Also new is Business Council of Australia chief economist Stephen Walters, University of Melbourne academic Peter Botsman and Esther Anatolitis, editor of literary journal Meanjin. ABC personality Adam Spencer and one-time Australian Sex Party Senate candidate Meredith Doig were both-re-elected.
As for the top jobs vacated by Foster and Peris, the national committee will meet to elect new co-chairs early next week. And with no disrespect to those elected, it still looks we’ll be saddled with the monarchy for a few more years yet.
BANK BUDS
In its much-needed post-Phil Lowe reshuffle, the Reserve Bank of Australia did something unprecedented in drafting in Andrew Hauser, a Pom, to take the role of deputy governor. It’s a job that is often a stepping stone to the governorship – Hauser was picked to replace Michele Bullock, who was promoted to Lowe’s old gig leading the central bank.
But as a foreigner, Hauser has needed to gain a bit of local intelligence on the state of the economy, which might explain his May sit-down dinner with renowned Australian pointy-headed economist types who picked up the bill at Melbourne French eatery Bistrot d’Orsay. Famed Hawke-era economic adviser and ambassador to China Ross Garnaut, University of Melbourne economics professor Jeff Borland and former Victoria University vice-chancellor Peter Dawkins made up the new deputy’s dining companions, revealed recently in the RBA’s gift register.
More recently, Hauser was in The Australian Financial Review talking about how Aussies still don’t know quite how prosperous they are. Compared with the rest of the world, he’s got a point, even if your average punter struggling with RBA-induced mortgage stress might disagree. But it’s certainly a perspective that’s easy to land on over plates of prime rib-eye.
FRENCH CONNECTION
The Rugby Sevens Olympic team announcement had a distinctly French flavour.Credit: John Shakespeare
The Australian Olympic Committee settled on an appropriate venue to announce the rugby sevens teams for the Paris Olympics – Sydney fine diner Restaurant Hubert. Catering was provided, of course, with deputy chef de mission Ken Wallace and Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh there for the big reveal.
It’s an inspired choice for a sport largely run and watched by alumni of elite private schools with a taste for the finer things in life.
At last year’s World Cup in France, Rugby Australia’s top brass, including now-ousted chair Hamish McLennan, hosted swanky soirees in Paris well after the Wallabies had bombed out in the group stage. Win or lose, we’re sure they’re looking forward to their next French adventure.
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