NSW Premier Chris Minns recognised for stance on anti-Semitism
Chris Minns’s ‘extraordinarily strong’ response to rampant anti-Semitism, and back-to-back high-profile stabbing attacks, illustrated how state leadership could show how to tackle the issues plaguing the heart of the nation.
About 7pm local time on April 13, NSW Premier Chris Minns touched down at Tokyo’s Haneda airport with his wife and three sons for what would be his first holiday abroad since Labor’s March 2023 state election win.
A few hours later, having not left the terminal, he was on the first flight back to Sydney, after receiving word Joel Cauchi had killed six people and injured a dozen others in a stabbing attack at Bondi Junction’s Westfield.
That he chose to return became even more important two days later as he – along with Multiculturalism Minister Steve Kamper and faith leaders – helped quell simmering tension that appeared set to ignite after Assyrian bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was seriously injured in a stabbing attack in Wakeley, southwest Sydney.
As a result of Mr Minns’ handling of that week of tragedy and his forthright, unequivocal stance against rising anti-Semitism, he has been nominated for The Australian’s Australian of the Year award.
It’s Mr Minns second nomination for the award, that began in 1971 to recognise leaders who inspired, led, helped or triumphed.
While captaining a Labor team that has now settled into its first full year of government – albeit amid accusations of a too-small agenda – Mr Minns’ leadership during the attacks, and the following months of strong action against anti-Semitism, has elevated him from leading solely on state issues to those that threaten the national fabric.
It comes in a year when he lost his father, John, 72, who died in May after a heart attack.
Responding to anti-Semitism, Mr Minns’ government has: unequivocally condemned the rising hatred and been a stalwart supporter of NSW’s Jewish community, enacted changes to state hate-speech laws, changed planning laws to allow places of worship to rapidly improve safety measures, alluded to protest reform to protect the same places, backed NSW Police in looking to block “divisive” anti-Israel protests on the anniversary of the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, and worked closely with Jewish leaders, particularly after recent anti-Semitic attacks in Sydney’s east.
After the second vandalism attack in Woollahra in December, Mr Minns batted away any suggestion it was not anti-Semitic.
“Blind Freddie can see it for what it is (anti-Semitism),” he said on the morning after that attack.
“We’d be doing a disservice to our responsibility to stand up unambiguously to these forms of racism if I (stood here) and started splitting hairs.”
Mr Minns remains in contact with Israel’s ambassador and has expressed the state’s horror at recent “disgusting displays of anti-Semitism”, reassuring him that the majority of people were “horrified” at the incidents and recognised Israel as “an ally”.
His clear condemnation of anti-Semitism, and actionable response to it, has drawn praise from Jewish leaders, including influential rabbis Benjamin Elton, Mendel Kastel and Levi Wolff, and NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip.
“He strikes the right message (on anti-Semitism), and that sends a message across the entirety of society,” Rabbi Elton said.
Mr Minns’ government also oversaw only the second visit of a reigning monarch, welcoming King Charles and Queen Camilla to the state in October.
It also strengthened legislation to combat regional youth crime and overhauled bail laws to keep high-risk domestic abusers behind bars after Molly Ticehurst’s killing, allegedly at the hands of a former partner who was on bail, shocked the state.
Making good on the government’s strong talk on planning reform and housing supply, and solving an increasingly bitter wage dispute with the powerful Rail, Tram and Bus Union in the near-term, will be issues for Mr Minns to solve in 2025.
To nominate the 2024 Australian of the Year, email aaoty@theaustralian.com.au. Please include your name and contact details (this information is collected solely for this award and will not be used for any other purpose). The winner will be announced on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
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