Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced this Thursday a five-point plan to combat “those who spread radicalization” after the deadly attack last Sunday on a Sydney beach where an event for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah was taking place, and which grants Home Affairs Minister Anthony Burke new powers to suspend and deny visas to foreigners for this reason.
The leader announced a package of reforms to “take strong action against those who spread hatred, division and radicalization” in a press conference, four days after a now-deceased father and his 24-year-old son carried out a mass attack on Bondi Beach that left 15 people dead and 42 injured, including nearly 20 who remain in hospital.
Albanese has indicated that the measures will focus on hate preachers, making them “an aggravating factor in imposing penalties for online threats and harassment,” and on “the development of a system to list organizations whose leaders engage in hate speech that promotes violence or racial hatred.”
In addition, the home secretary will have “new powers to cancel or refuse the visas of those who spread hatred and division in this country or would do so if allowed to come here,” he said.
On the other hand, the Australian leader has announced the creation of a working group led by David Gonski, until recently rector of the University of New South Wales, to ensure that the country’s education system contains content on anti-Semitism aimed at young people. He stated that the program will last a year.
With this in mind, Education Minister Jason Clare will push forward reforms to introduce tougher rules against racism and anti-Semitism on university campuses.
In the same appearance, Albanese admitted that “more and more could have been done” to eradicate anti-Semitism. “Governments are not perfect. I am not perfect. We have engaged constructively. We have done everything possible because before this government came to power there was no special representative on anti-Semitism,” he said, referring to a position taken by Jilian Segal, who last July presented a report with almost fifty recommendations to the executive branch on the issue.
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