Sky News summit: Mark Dreyfus heckled for ‘weaponising anti-Semitism’ remarks

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has come under fire after launching a new broadside accusing the Coalition and media giants for ‘weaponising’ anti-Semitism, facing heckling and walkouts during his address at a Sydney synagogue.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus attends the Sky News anti-Semitism summit in Sydney on Thursday. Picture: Jeremy Piper/NewsWire

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Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has come under fire after launching a new broadside accusing the Coalition and media giants for “weaponising” anti-Semitism, facing heckling and walkouts during his address at a Sydney synagogue.

Mr Dreyfus felt the wrath of Jewish Australians in the audience disillusioned with the Albanese government, as he was jeered through his speech to the Sky News Anti-Semitism Summit at Sydney’s Central Synagogue. Some in attendance walked out for the duration of his speech.

“Anti-Semitism cannot and must not be weaponised in the pursuit of votes, it must not be weaponised in the pursuit of newspaper sales or TV ratings, we all must take a stand together,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“It is a matter of deep regret to me that not all of us have found themselves able to resist the temptation to sow division, to weaponise anti-Semitism, to exploit the harm it causes.

“Speaking at the Jewish Community Centre in Krakow, alongside the Foreign Minister, I said: Combating anti-Semitism, remembering the Holocaust, does not belong to the left or the right. It does not belong to the progressive side of Australian politics, or the conservative side of Australian politics. It is the solemn duty of everybody, of all of humanity, to remember the Holocaust. To say, never again.”

The Attorney-General – who was invited to the summit as the most senior Jewish politician in parliament – was forced to stop and start his speech in response to the defiant crowd, and upon its conclusion he quickly departed, disappearing as NSW Premier Chris Minns took the lectern after him. Mr Minns was the only other Labor delegate in attendance.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton at the summit on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Peter Dutton condemned Mr Dreyfus’s remarks, saying: “The gov­ernment suggesting that some­how this malicious evil has been politicised or emphasised for political gain, I think they are completely removed from reality.

“It’s just a further blow to people within the Jewish community and decent Australians who support them, because I think the government should be speaking with those people who have been victims of the attacks,” the Opposition Leader said.

“If the government doesn’t believe there’s a problem or that it’s been politicised, then how can they respond to it?”

Mr Minns used his speech to offer an apology to the Jewish community of NSW for allowing the Opera House protest on ­October 9, 2023, to progress.

“Jewish people have come to this country with the promise of new life in Australia, and it’s been a very simple promise: despite centuries of horrifying violence, Australia would be different. Australia would be safe,” he said.

“It was appalling to see the hateful scenes on the steps of the Sydney Opera House two days after October 7, and I can tell you, I’m deeply ashamed that it happened under my watch as Premier of this state.”

Mr Minns’ vow to end the cycle of hatred came as his government announced a $200,000 funding tranche to Jewish House, a crisis centre in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Summit organisers including Rabbi Levi Wolff and Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chair Alex Ryvchin expressed their frustrations with the Attorney-General for using the Synagogue as a part of his spray against the opposition.

“It was very disappointing, and it was definitely not in the spirit of the summit. There were so many other strong points that could have been made,” Rabbi Wolff said.

“It was not the time, it was not the place, and it was not the tone. It’s not only about the people in this room (who are angry), but I think it’s the way the people outside are feeling.”

Mr Ryvchin co-hosted the summit, which came as police charged a suspect in the vandalism of his former home. It was an opportunity for him to present a 15-point plan of action against anti-Semitism, though he argued Mr Dreyfus had misused the platform given to him.

“It was a perplexing statement by the Attorney-General, and it didn’t at all go down well with this audience, and I think he should clarify exactly what he meant and who he was referring to,” he said to The Australian.

“We’ve had 16 months of crisis in this country, where anti-Semitism has been lead news on the public broadcaster, in every newspaper, in every TV station, because of the dire state that we find ourselves in when synagogues burn, when people’s homes are targeted, when firebombing becomes an ordinary thing in this country, that’s obviously going to be newsworthy. It’s a very dangerous remark because I think it underplays the gravity of the situation of anti-Semitism, which is why it’s being covered.”

Jewish Sydneysider Allan Allan was among those who left the summit prematurely, saying he found the Attorney-General’s speech distasteful.

“People may or may not believe your words, they believe your actions,” Mr Allan said as he left the synagogue. “Unfortunately, there’s too much being said. We’re not addressing the issue and I’m bored of it. So I’m out of here, I’m walking home.”

Jewish Sydneysider Allan Allan walked out on the summit after a speech from Mr Dreyfus. Picture: James Dowling

Former prime minister John Howard called for ‘affection and warmth towards the Jewish community’. Picture: Jeremy Piper / NewsWire

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson called the Attorney-General’s speech “beyond bizarre”.

“If the Labor Party spent as much energy fighting anti-Semitism as they do attacking the media and opposition, maybe it wouldn’t have got so out of control on their watch,” he said.

Assistant opposition foreign affairs spokesperson Julian Leeser pointed to the Attorney-General’s past remarks on the politicisation of anti-Semitism as form for Thursday’s comment.

“Mark Dreyfus uses this politicisation line every time he wants to cover up for his own failures and the failures of his government,” Mr Leeser said.

“He has been responsible for the Human Rights Commission, he has been responsible for the AFP, he’s been responsible for the criminal law, he’s been responsible for the machinery to establish judicial inquiries and for all those things he’s either been late to the party or asleep at the wheel.”

In January, Mr Dreyfus attacked the Opposition Leader for his “grotesque” suggestion that he and Foreign Minister Penny Wong should not represent Australia at the Auschwitz commemoration.

Other speakers at the summit included former prime minister John Howard, former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, anti-Semitism envoy Jillian Segal, Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon and Federal Court Justice Michael Lee.

The plan of action on curbing anti-Semitism ranged across policy areas and included suggesting the addition of anti-Semitism education to the national curriculum, urging the Albanese government to declare a national emergency, legislation to regulate social media algorithms and enforcing stricter regulation against endorsement of hate speech or discrimination by charitable institutions.

Additional reporting: Sarah Ison