PM Albanese meets with Jewish community members at Perth synagogue
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met privately with Jewish members at a Perth synagogue one day after the firebombing of Adass Israel.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met privately with Jewish community members at a synagogue in Perth one day after the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne.
The meeting was closed off to media, though NewsWire understands Mr Albanese was invited to the community centre in central Perth and spoke there in the morning.
It is understood about a hundred people filled the synagogue.
Mr Albanese is expected to give a press conference in the WA capital on Sunday morning, where he is expected to speak further on the firebombing that has shocked the nation and triggered widespread anger.
In a statement posted to X on Saturday afternoon, Mr Albanese said the arson attack on Adass Israel was “un-Australian”.
“The Jewish community has made an extraordinary contribution to the strength and success of our nation, over generations,” he said.
“Time and time again, they have defied the cowardice and cruelty of antisemitism with courage and resolve.
“In this deeply distressing time, I want every member of the Jewish community to know our government unequivocally condemns the prejudice you have been targeted with.”
An Adass Israel worshipper allegedly observed two masked men deliberately poured accelerant on the floor of the house of worships before feeling the burning buildings about 4.10am on Friday.
Firefighters worked for 40 minutes to bring the blaze under control, which destroyed the building.
The Albanese government is facing a barrage of criticism for its alleged lack of action in stamping on the swell of anti-Semitism that has washed over Australia since the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7 last year.
On Saturday afternoon, Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Indigenous trailblazer Nova Peris called on the prime minister to “step up” and act on rising anti-Jewish racism in a sharp address outside Caulfield Synagogue.
“Prime Minister, how did you let it get to this,” Mr Frydenberg said.
“Every single day, Australian Jews are being intimidated and harassed on our streets, in their workplaces and on our campuses.
“Young Jewish Australians now feel unsafe to show and identify with their faith publicly.
“And Australian holocaust survivors, who have been long given a safe refuge in this country and a warm embrace, are now openly talking about leaving this country.”
“Prime Minister, how did you let it get to this? Where social cohesion in australia has broken down.
“Where the Australian Jewish comm lives in fear. Where anti-Semitism has become normalised.”
“When social cohesion breaks down, it’s only a question of when another community, another minority group is targeted in the same way.”
Ms Peris, a former Labor senator, called the Adass attack “totally deplorable” and said the Sydney Opera House pro-Palestine protest, which took place just two days after the Hamas-led mass murder of Jews, had brought Australia into “disrepute”.
“I cannot stand the hatred against Jewish people in this country,” she said.
“I’m so disgusted in how this country is being portrayed to the rest of the world.”
Mr Albanese said he had spoken with AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw on Saturday morning.
“Our authorities continue to work hard on this and I have made clear we offer full support to VicPol,” Mr Albanese said.
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