Auschwitz event the centre of new row over Labor’s Israel stance

Penny Wong and Mark Dreyfus will represent Australia at an event commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz, amid confusion over previous signals the government was sending Labor Senate president Sue Lines.

Senate president Sue Lines. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will represent Australia at an event commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz, amid confusion over previous signals indicating the federal government was planning to send Labor Senate president Sue Lines.

The senior cabinet ministers will attend the event marking 80 years since the Nazi concentration camp in Poland was freed on January 27, 1945, as Labor seeks to shore up its support with the Jewish community following a string of anti-Semitic attacks.

The government denied that Senator Lines would lead the delegation being sent to the anniversary, following backlash from the Coalition and Jewish leaders the decision to send Senator Lines was tone deaf because of her past criticism of Israel.

But an email, published by Sky News and sent on an unknown date, emerged late on Tuesday suggesting that Senator Lines had at one point been slated to head the delegation.

Senator Lines attacked Israel for committing the “crime of apartheid” towards Palestinians in a speech she gave in the Senate in February 2022, calling on the Jewish state to “dismantle this cruel system”.

A spokeswoman for Senator Lines denied she would be travelling to the memorial event but did not respond to questions asking if she had originally been appointed as part of the delegation, when contacted by The Australian on Tuesday.

The Australian understands the Albanese government decided to send senior ministers to the event late last year.

“Australia will be represented at senior minister level,” a government spokeswoman said.

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson criticised Labor’s “appalling judgment” to contemplate sending Senator Lines to the Auschwitz memorial event.

“Sue Lines is one of the most unhinged anti-Israel members of the parliament from the far left of the Labor Party,” Senator Paterson said.

Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg urged Anthony Albanese not to send Senator Lines after her anti-Israel comments.

“Prime Minister, please reconsider this decision,” he said.