PM rejects envoy Jillian Segal’s call on synagogues, sentencing

Anthony Albanese has failed to endorse several key measures being urged by his anti-Semitism envoy, Jillian Segal, suggesting sentencing should be left to judges.

Anthony Albanese in Hobart on Wednesday, and Jillian Segal. Picture: NewsWire / Eddie Safarik, Darren Leigh Roberts

Anthony Albanese has refused to back his own special envoy’s calls for mandatory sentences for attacks on synagogues and for a national cabinet on anti-Semitism.

The Prime Minister on Wednesday backed “strong action” against those responsible for attacks on synagogues, but suggested sentencing should be left to judges.

“We have a separation of powers in Australia between politics and the judiciary and I think that’s an important principle,” Mr Albanese told reporters while visiting the marginal Tasmanian seat of Lyons.

“But I certainly support people who make these anti-Semitic attacks facing the full force of the law. They are state laws but I certainly support strong action.”

Mr Albanese’s special envoy on anti-Semitism, Jillian Segal, has called for mandatory sentencing and a national cabinet on the scourge that has grown amid tensions over the conflict in Gaza.

Mr Albanese, who said he had already on Tuesday discussed the issue with the Victorian and NSW premiers, rejected the need for a national cabinet dedicated to addressing it.

“What we want, and what people want to see, isn’t more meetings – they want action,” he said.

An anti-Semitic attack on the Newtown Synagogue, Sydney. Picture: NewsWire / Simon Bullard.

Ms Segal writes in The Australian that a lack of ­enforcement and judicial punishment had allowed it to “gather ­momentum”.

“Prosecutors and magistrates and judges need to understand that these are not isolated incidents but a growing campaign of intimidatory, aggravated anti-Semitism and these crimes must be viewed in that context when considering punishment,” Ms Segal writes.

“Even seemingly serious incidents that have been prosecuted, such as setting fire to a Jewish politician’s office or breaching security to protest on the roof of Parliament House, have gone unpunished, following judicial decisions to not even record a conviction.

“These are not ordinary graffiti incidents by naive offenders but incidents that feed off each other, gathering momentum with each declaration of effective impunity.

“We need leadership from our political leaders and our police commissioners, but we also need our law enforcement officials and our judges and magistrates to understand what is at stake.”

Mr Albanese said his meetings in NSW and Victoria had boosted coordination on the issue but suggested a national cabinet specifically on anti-Semitism was not required.

“We’ve had a meeting to coordinate in the two states where there have been major incidents to make sure there’s increased coordination,” Mr Albanese said.

“When national cabinet meets we meet about the full range of issues, particularly about heath, about cost of living, about education, (and) housing.”

He suggested regular national cabinet meetings could consider anti-Semitism, among these other issues. “Of course – we can address the full range of issues,” he said. “Everyone of decency in Australia wants to stamp out anti-Semitism.”