PM must declare synagogue attack a terror event: Frydenberg

Anthony Albanese must set up a police task force devoted to stamping out anti-Semitism and declare Friday’s firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue a terrorist act, former treasurer Josh Frydenberg has declared.

Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg and former Labor MP Nova Peris speak to the media after the alleged arson attack on Adass Israel synagogue. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Anthony Albanese must set up a police task force devoted to stamping out anti-Semitism and declare Friday’s firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue a terrorist act, former treasurer Josh Frydenberg has declared.

Standing with ex-Labor senator Nova Peris at the Caulfield South synagogue now at the centre of the wave of anti-Jewish hate in Australia, Mr Frydenberg said Labor must set up a judicial inquiry into anti-Semitism on university campuses.

Hours after the firebombing, the Prime Minister on Friday said anti-Semitism has been around for a “long time” and faced claims from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his government’s foreign policy has encouraged the incident.

“This is not about other forms of hate, this is not about Islamophobia,” the former Liberal deputy leader said on Saturday.

“This task force needs to enforce the law and where necessary advise how to strengthen it.”

“We can’t hear worthless words. We need concrete action … the Prime Minister has never seen a fence he didn’t sit on.”

Meanwhile, Victoria Police had no more developments in the arson investigation when contacted on Saturday.

Former senator Nova Paris said the state and federal Labor governments have failed to show leadership on anti-Semitism.

“The fact that no one was arrested or there weren’t consequences of the act on October 7th, before blood had even dried, before Israel had even retaliated, speaks volumes, Ms Peris said.

“The amount of attacks upon Jewish people, of racial hatred, the property that’s been destroyed, our war memorials, all these things that are an attack on citizens of this country. If there are no consequences, it allows people to say, well, we’re just going to continue to get away with it.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong was quoted by Nine newspapers today as saying that turning Labor’s UN resolution vote during the week “into a political fight is reckless even for [Opposition Leader] Peter Dutton.

“The Liberals also used to support a balanced, two-state solution, but now they see political advantage in trying to reproduce the conflict here.”

Senator Wong said “in our democracy, Australians are free to support or disagree with the actions of Israel ... but disagreement must not be used as a cloak for prejudice. Targeting the Australian Jewish community is an act of anti-Semitism and utterly unacceptable.”

In what was a rare media conference for him since stepping away from politics, Mr Frydenberg accused the Prime Minister of lacking “courage” to tackle anti-Semitism more firmly.

“The Prime Minister doesn’t speak out with any conviction, with any clarity, with any courage against the misuse of (anti-Semitic) terminology,” he said.

“If there’s a fence to sit on he finds it or gives us mealy-mouthed words that give us nothing.”

He warned the Jewish community feels “vulnerable” after recent attacks and criticised the government’s inaction.

“They feel vulnerable and they feel despondent about the lack of action from those whose duty, whose elected responsibility, (it) is to act.”

He urged Mr Albanese to prioritise the safety of the Jewish community and to avoid the political considerations more generally.

“You might be worried about the electoral consequences in a particular electorate from taking strong action,” he said.

Mr Frydenberg said the clock was ticking for Mr Albanese to take action, and said Premier Jacinta Allan does not get a “pass mark” for what has occurred.

“I want to see the premier lean in, I want to see the PM step up, I don’t want to see either of them step back,” he said.

He also called for a judicial inquiry into educational institutions where “there is anti-Semitism run wild.”

“Our education institutions should be houses of learning, but they have become hotbeds of hate,” he said.

Members of the Jewish community pass by Adass Israel Synagogue on Saturday. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

A man with a placard outside the cordoned-off synagogue. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

It comes as Jewish community members attended Shabbat services at their local temples a day after the attack on one of Australia’s busiest synagogues.

Several security guards lined the entrance to the synagogue on Saturday, with regular security measures in place across Melbourne.