Daniel Andrews tells Jewish donors to cut funds to antisemites

Former premier Daniel Andrews has urged Jewish families and organisations who provide financial support to the arts, cultural and other philanthropic causes to defund recipients who refuse to denounce antisemitism.

In rare public comments since retiring as Victoria’s longest-serving Labor premier, Andrews weighed directly into the dilemma confronting Jewish philanthropists by urging them to dump their support for creative endeavours which had remained silent about, or promulgated, hatred towards Jewish people since the October 7, 2023, attacks.

Daniel Andrews (left) at the Central Synagogue in Caulfield South for the Jerusalem Prize presentation.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

The Hamas atrocities in southern Israel last year, which killed about 1200 people, and Israel’s deadly and protracted military operations in Gaza and Lebanon in response, which have killed more than 40,000, have driven a wedge between some of Australia’s leading supporters of the arts and the organisations they fund.

“If people won’t speak out against antisemitism, defund them. If people are happy to take your money while being antisemites, defund them,” Andrews told a gathering of Jewish community leaders in Melbourne on Sunday night.

“If you want to support Hamas, then get them to pay your bills, get them to fund your programs and build your buildings. I am serious. We are beyond tropes. Silence and much worse are only possible if there are no consequences.”

Andrews said no community was more generous than the Jewish community and “no state has a better developed culture, endowment and philanthropic giving than Victoria”.

“I would ask each of you respectfully, continue to review your giving. Check and check again that those who so happily benefit from your generosity are not in real terms pretend friends or worse, actually working against the Jewish community and decency itself,” he said.

Andrews is presented with the Jerusalem Prize on Sunday nightCredit: Luis Enrique Ascui

Andrews made his comments after he was awarded the Jerusalem Prize, bestowed by the World Zionist Organisation, the Zionist Federation of Australia and Zionism Victoria for his “outstanding contribution” towards strengthening the Jewish community in Victoria and relationships with Israel.

Those in attendance at the Central Synagogue in Caulfield South included Israeli ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon, federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, federal Labor MP Josh Burns and state Liberal MP David Southwick.

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said Andrews’ support for Israel had transcended politics and geography.

Andrews’ comments come after a series of controversies involving artists and others in the creative industries over expressions of support for Palestinians or criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war.

The former premier, a staunch supporter of Israel since he was first elected to state parliament in 2002, told the event that his views were informed by studying the history and politics of the Middle East at Monash University.

“My support for Israel has always been grounded in simple and fundamental logic,” Andrews said. “Israel is the only democracy in a despotic region. The only place with gender equality at law, the only place where people are free and safe to love who they love, criticise their government if they wish and organise in their workplaces.

“Over these last 12 months, I, like all of you, have been angered and saddened by those who know nothing of the history of this region yet opine about its future, those who know little of Israel or the Jewish people, yet feel obliged and able to criticise, and perhaps worst of all, those whose rank antisemitism has been exposed by the events of antisemitism and the conflict.

“The ferocity and brazenness of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiment is like nothing that I have seen in my lifetime. It is a stain on the nation, and it shames us all.”

Andrews related the story of recently walking through the city and seeing a pro-Palestine protester wearing a rainbow T-shirt.

“She was obviously a supporter of the LGBTQI+ community, as I am. Try wearing that T-shirt in Gaza and see how that works out for you,” he said.

Andrews said he would “publicly and loudly” support any Jewish family or organisation which rescinded philanthropic funding to an organisation because of its views towards Israel or Jewish people.

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