Government not responsible for anti-Semitism surge, Marles says

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has rejected claims the Albanese government’s actions in recent years have “contributed to the rise in anti-Semitism”.

Reports of anti-Semitism in Australia have risen sharply since Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel in 2023.

Israel’s casualty-heavy response in Gaza sparked global protests, including in Australia’s biggest cities where the flags of Hamas and fellow Islamist militant group Hezbollah appeared alongside and a small number of participants making anti-Semitic chants and placards.

Fronting the media the morning after Anthony Albanese announced a royal commission into the Bondi terror attack, Mr Marles said the government had taken action against anti-Semitism, including “strengthening our anti-hate laws”.

But it was put to him that that was “treating the symptom” while other actions, such as recognising Palestinian statehood while Hamas controls Gaza, had worsened the “disease”.

“I don’t accept that, obviously,” Mr Marles told 2GB.

“Yes, we’ve recognised Palestine, but … we’ve made it clear that Hamas can have no role to play in a future Palestinian state.”

He also denied that the government had facilitated the return of so-called “ISIS brides” – Australian women who travelled to the Middle East to join ISIS’ caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

The terror group’s strongholds in both countries have since collapsed, leaving dozens of Australian women and their children in Middle East camps riddled with Islamic extremists.

The Albanese government has maintained a policy of “no active repatriation”, but it has issued passports to those who have found their way to an Australian embassy and allowed them to return to the country.

A security source told NewsWire all returnees are under “rigorous” surveillance.

“We have not been facilitating any of those returns,” Mr Marles said.

“We’ve acted in accordance with the law in respect of Australian citizens.

“What is being asserted by a whole lot of people simply isn’t true.”

Returning to anti-Semitism directly, he said he did not accept the “fundamental contention … about the government’s role in anti-Semitism”.

“We’ve made it clear anti-Semitism has no place in Australia,” Mr Marles said.

“We’ve provided additional resources to the Federal Police and to policing.

“We’ve done more to strengthen anti-hate laws than any previous government.”

He added the government was also “implementing (anti-Semitism envoy) Jillian Segal’s report in full”, stressing that Labor created Ms Segal’s role.

In the wake of the Bondi terror attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Mr Albanese and demanded he “wake up” and take action against anti-Semitism.

Mr Netanyahu has long criticised the Albanese government for taking an “anti-Israel position”, pointing to its repeated criticism of the Israeli military’s conduct in Gaza and recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Mr Netanyahu drew links between those actions and high-profile anti-Semitic events in Australia, such as attacks on Jewish sites.

He said of the Bondi massacre that “the writing was on the wall” and that it “was bound to reach these tragic outcomes”.