Election 2025: Teal Zoe Daniel targets Jewish voters in campaign leaflet

Zoe Daniel has distributed a flyer targeted at Jewish voters outlining the steps she has taken to combat anti-Semitism.

Teal MP Zoe Daniel has distributed a flyer targeted at the Jewish community in Goldstein. Picture: Getty Images

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Zoe Daniel has distributed a campaign flyer targeted at Jewish voters outlining the steps she has taken to combat anti-Semitism, in a bid to shore up support among Jewish constituents in Goldstein.

The pamphlet, titled Jewish Australians deserve safety, sets out Ms Daniel’s “outcomes-orientated” approach to tackling anti-Semitism, including holding a roundtable, supporting anti-doxing laws and fast-tracking ­security grants for synagogues and schools.

Ms Daniel declared her “commitment to Jewish safety” which coexists with her support for the rule of law and aid to Gaza, adding that she was in line with Labor and the Coalition in supporting a two-state solution.

The Coalition has criticised Ms Daniel for being “patronising” and “tone deaf”, while a prominent Jewish leader has seized on the pamphlet to call on all independents to rule out supporting a minority government backed by the Greens.

Amid an increasingly bitter contest to defeat her predecessor and Liberal challenger Tim Wilson, Ms Daniel also hit back at leaflets “misrepresenting my policies and performance” which were being distributed in the seat.

Ms Daniel has distributed a flyer targeted at the Jewish community in Goldstein.

Goldstein is home to a significant proportion of Melbourne’s Jewish population, with 6.8 per cent of constituents identifying as part of the community, with the number increasing to 18 per cent in Elsternwick and 36 per cent in Caulfield South.

“My commitment to Jewish safety here coexists with my support for humanitarian aid and the international rules of war in Gaza,” she said in the flyer.

“I join the Liberal and Labor parties in supporting a two-state solution. You may disagree. If you do have concerns or ideas, I would love to meet and talk to you.”

Ms Daniel said it had been a “privilege” to represent Jewish Australians in Goldstein and said that the “grief and anxiety” felt by the community should not be “politicised”.

She also pointed to her advocacy to establish an anti-Semitism envoy, introduce stronger laws criminalising hate crimes and a judicial inquiry into anti-Jewish sentiment on university campuses.

Ms Daniel has distributed a flyer outlining her track record on anti-Semitism.

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson ­accused Ms Daniel of “abandoning” the Jewish community and participating in the “vilification” of Israel amid a surge of anti-Jewish attacks.

“Now she patronisingly lectures the Jewish community about all the things she done for them, including in completely unrelated policy areas,” Senator Paterson said.

“It’s yet another tone deaf contribution from an MP who has failed to stand with her Jewish constituents in their most desperate time of need.”

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said the May 3 election would be the “most important in their lifetime” for many Jewish Australians.

“After 18 months of anti-­Semitic incitement, harassment, boycotts and firebombings, Jewish voters are very focused on candidates being strong and principled on Israel,” he said.

“We continue to urge all independents to rule out supporting a minority government propped up by the Greens; a party that has repeatedly undermined Australia’s bipartisan support for Israel, downplayed Jewish trauma after October 7, and flirted with ­extremist rhetoric.”

The Zionist Federation of Australia wrote to the teal independents last year urging them to rule out striking any deal with the Greens, because of the left-wing party’s stance on Israel.

Ms Daniel declined to ­comment.