To download the full responses to the survey in PDF format, click here.

To download this statement release in PDF format, click here.

Where do the parties stand on matters affecting the Aus­trali­an Jewish community?

As has been our practice for a number of years, the Executive Council of Aus­trali­an Jewry has written to the leaders of the Coalition, the Aus­trali­an Labor Party and the Aus­trali­an Greens ahead of the upcoming federal election seeking their positions on policies and issues of par­tic­u­lar interest to the Aus­trali­an Jewish community.

The topics covered by the questions reflect the concerns of our community as observed by the ECAJ from our position as the peak rep­res­ent­at­ive body of the Aus­trali­an Jewish community, which engages with Jewish com­munit­ies and over 200 Jewish organ­isa­tions through­out the country. These topics are highly diverse – from combating antisemitism in chal­len­ging times, to foreign policy and support for Israel, communal security and religious freedoms.

The full responses provided by each party can be found on our website.

We wish to thank the party leaders and their staffs for respond­ing to our questions in a sub­stant­ive and timely manner which will help us to ensure that Jewish Aus­trali­ans are informed about crucial policies and positions on matters they care deeply about.

Key findings:

Pro­tect­ing our community

Both Labor and the Coalition have pledged $55 million in Round 4 of the Safer Com­munit­ies Fund Scheme towards pro­tect­ing religious schools and places of worship where there are security risks to children. Labor has vowed to “work with Jewish schools and community organ­isa­tions to ensure their security needs are met.”

Antisemitism

All three parties surveyed have affirmed a com­mit­ment to com­batting antisemitism. The Greens however have stated that they “have not formally endorsed the Inter­na­tion­al Holocaust Remem­brance Alliance (IHRA) defin­i­tion of antisemitism.”

Jerusalem

Labor has vowed to reverse the Morrison Government’s recog­ni­tion of west Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Uni­lat­er­al recog­ni­tion of a Palestini­an state

The Coalition’s position is that “… aspir­a­tions for Palestini­an statehood can only be realised through direct nego­ti­ations between the Palestini­ans and Israel.”

Labor reit­er­ated “… the desire of the [last ALP National] Con­fer­ence to recognise Palestine as a State while acknow­ledging this will ulti­mately be a matter for a future Labor Gov­ern­ment.”

The Greens “support the recog­ni­tion of a Palestini­an state”.

Anti-Israel Boycotts, Divest­ment and Sanctions

Labor has stated that it “has always opposed BDS” and has condemned it as a “policy of exclusion”.

The Coalition has denounced BDS as “anti-Semitic”.

The Greens have confirmed that BDS “is not Aus­trali­an Greens policy.”

United Nations

The Coalition has pledged to “stand with Israel in the face of biased and unfair targeting in the UN General Assembly.”

Labor and the Greens will examine every UN res­ol­u­tion “on its merits”. Labor will also be guided by its com­mit­ment to “support for a two-state solution and support for the peace process.”

Religious Freedom

All parties surveyed have affirmed the basic principle of religious freedom. The Greens have expressed support for a “charter of rights” to resolve incon­sist­en­cies between religious and other freedoms. Labor and the Coalition have expressed broad support for the findings of the Ruddock Review.

No party surveyed has any plans to propose changes to laws on male cir­cum­cision (brit milah). The Greens support “stunning of animals before slaughter”, which is incom­pat­ible with kosher slaughter.

Elect­or­ate of Wentworth

Given that the seat of Wentworth has a sizeable Jewish community and a sitting member who does not belong to one of the parties surveyed, we have also afforded the Member for Wentworth the oppor­tun­ity to respond to our ques­tion­naire and for the Liberal, Labor and Greens can­did­ates in Wentworth to affirm or augment their party responses, as appro­pri­ate. We expect to publish these responses shortly.

For the full survey, please click here.

Contact
Alex Ryvchin | Co-CEO
ph: 02 8353 8505 | m: 0478 297 245
e: [email protected] | www.ecaj.org.au