Labor MP Sam Lim in Anthony Albanese fake quote drama

First-term MP Sam Lim distributed a fabricated quote attributed to Anthony Albanese describing the Melbourne synagogue firebombing as the likely work of ‘a few despondent radicals’.

Tangney MP Sam Lim in parliament. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

A federal Labor MP sent community members a message describing the Melbourne synagogue firebombing as the likely work of “a few despondent radicals who had had enough” of the bombing of Gaza.

A message under the name of Sam Lim, a first-term MP who holds the most marginal Labor seat in Western Australia, was sent at the weekend to a community Whatsapp group that is understood to have included several faith leaders.

The message included a quote that Mr Lim attributed to Anthony Albanese, but a spokesman for Mr Lim confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that it was fabricated.

The quote, which was described as Mr Albanese’s response when “confronted by the Murdoch mercenaries, and others”, appeared to be an imagined answer to questions about the Adass Israel Synagogue of Melbourne firebombing and the criticism of Australia by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Mr Netanyahyu should consider that the bombing of a synagogue in Australia is likely the manifestation of a few despondent radicals who had had enough of the continued aerial bombing of thousands of innocent children and women in Gaza by his single-minded troops,” the fake quote sent by Mr Lim reads.

“Australia is a robust democracy. We do not encourage violence to those whom we do not warm to. If he continues to blame me and other world leaders, he might well be remembered in history as another hegemon who blamed everyone else for his crime against innocent civilians.”

A spokesman for Mr Lim told The Australian that the quote attributed to Mr Albanese was fake, but he would not expand on the origins of the statement.

“We have nothing further to add,” he said.

It’s understood that Mr Lim is uncertain as to how the message appeared under his name and has since deleted WhatsApp.

Robert Gregory, the chief executive of the Australian Jewish Association, described Mr Lim’s explanation as strange.

“At such a sensitive time, federal members of parliament should be acting responsibly and doing everything not to inflame tensions,” Mr Gregory said.

“It’s important for Mr Lim and the Prime Minister to distance himself from the divisive rhetoric contained in that text.”

Mr Lim holds the seat of Tangney, a traditionally conservative seat across Perth’s wealthy southern suburbs, that fell to Labor for the first time in the 2022 election.

He holds the seat on a margin of just 2.4 per cent, making it a key battleground for the next federal election.

Labor’s ability to retain the seats it gained in WA at the last federal election will likely determine if the government can hold on to power.

The Liberals preselected Singapore-born IT consultant Howard Ong as its candidate for Tangney, after its first choice – SAS soldier turned reality television contestant and author Mark Wales – pulled the pin on his candidacy after only a few weeks.