Security expert Dennis Richardson say tougher action needed to quell anti-Semitism

The former head of ASIO, and the departments of defence and foreign affairs, said it was ‘puzzling’ why almost no action had been taken against those inciting violence against Jews in Australia.

Former ASIO boss Dennis Richardson in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

The country’s foremost intelligence and security expert, Dennis Richardson, says Australia needs to answer some “deep-seated questions” about anti-Semitism and has called for a review of laws on inciting racial and religious ­violence.

Mr Richardson, a former head of ASIO, and the departments of defence and foreign affairs and trade, said it was “puzzling” why almost no action had been taken against those inciting violence against Jews in Australia.

The country has seen an unprecedented spike in anti-Semitic acts since October 7, with Jewish Australians increasingly targeted by pro-Palestinian activists angry at the civilian death toll in the ­Israeli-Hamas war. But Mr Richardson said the central claims of pro-Palestinian activists – that Israel was committing genocide or that it is a colonial power or an apartheid state – were unfounded.

“Calling Israel a colonial state, apartheid, genocidal is simply ­historical fantasy,” Mr Richardson tells former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg in a documentary on anti-Semitism to be screened on Sky News Australia on Tuesday evening.

Asked by Mr Frydenberg if the country needed tougher laws to ensure people are punished for inciting violence, Mr Richardson replies: “The laws certainly need to be reviewed … I think a lot of people are puzzled as to why some call so openly for violence and no action appears to be able to be taken.”

“It’s a complete disgrace that in Australia in 2024 we need to have armed guards on Jewish schools in this country. No school in Australia of any faith should ­require armed guards. And I think we need to ask ourselves some pretty deep-seated questions when that is occurring,’ Mr Richardson says.

Jewish groups have been alarmed by the lack of arrests by police of those committing anti-Semitic acts or chants since October 7, sparking debate about whether incitement laws are strong enough, or simply not being enforced.

Jewish groups have long warned that federal laws against inciting violence based on racial and religious hatred are too weak to allow for meaningful protection against acts of incitement. A high burden of proof and a defence that allows hate preachers to escape liability for inciting racial and religious violence if they acted in “good faith” have derailed potential prosecutions.

Peter Dutton said he was not opposed to stronger laws but said more could be done to enforce existing laws on inciting racial or ­religious violence.

“I do believe that there is a breach of the existing laws, both at a state and federal level in some of those instances,” Mr Dutton says in the documentary. “We can beef laws up tomorrow and I’m not opposed to the prospect, but I think we should utilise the existing laws now and if we do that, we send a very clear message to others.”

Anthony Albanese said anyone breaking existing vilification laws should be prosecuted.

“One of my concerns is that there are laws there that I don’t think have been implemented, so let’s reinforce what’s there. If people are breaking the law, then they should be prosecuted. That’s why we have laws,” he tells Mr Frydenberg. But he says if laws can be strengthened then they should be.

“I support legislation for religious discrimination to be outlawed, just as other laws have been put in place. I support people’s right to express their faith in a way that is free from discrimination. But also one of the things that we want to do as part of that, if we can get bipartisan support, is any vilification provisions as well, so that people can’t be vilified for who they are on the basis of their faith,” he said.