Submission from Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC)
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Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Level, 20-22 Albert Rd, South Melbourne VIC 3205 www.aijac.org.au Submission from Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) to the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade inquiry into Issues Facing Diaspora Communities in Australia Introduction The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) has prepared this submission for the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade’s inquiry into Issues Facing Diaspora Communities in Australia. AIJAC is the premier independent public affairs organisation for the Australian Jewish community and conveys interests of the Australian Jewish community to government, media and other community organisations. AIJAC maintains a deep interest in multicultural affairs and the creation of a peaceful and harmonious Australian community. AIJAC is making this submission to briefly note the Jewish Australian diaspora’s successful efforts to participate and contribute to Australian society. It is AIJAC’s hope that all Australia’s other diaspora communities, including those newly arrived, can consider the experience of the Jewish diaspora to inform their own circumstances and progress. It needs to be noted that the concept of diaspora does not completely encompass the experience of Jewish Australians, who are better seen as an ethnic group (nor indeed is it always adequate in portraying other groups either). That is because the identity of Jewish Australians is shaped by a variety of attributes: religious practice, shared experience, such as Holocaust survival and subsequent refugee journey, and/or Zionism, or support for Israel’s existence as a Jewish state. Australia is made up of indigenous people, migrants and the successive generations from these migrants. There has been a Jewish presence in Australia since 1788, and Jewish Australians have been an integral part of Australia’s long-standing multiethnic community, 1 Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Level, 20-22 Albert Rd, South Melbourne VIC 3205 www.aijac.org.au which in the last 50 years has transformed into our multicultural nation. The Jewish community today also has a large migrant component – 48 percent of Australian Jews were born outside Australia1 in a variety of countries, most commonly South Africa, the former Soviet Union and Israel. Despite the community’s varied birth-countries, there is a strong sense of collective identification as members of the Jewish people. It is unfortunately necessary to reaffirm that Jewish Australians owe national and civic allegiance to our home, Australia. The accusation that Jewish people have a “dual loyalty” to Israel is an antisemitic trope designed to smear Jewish people. Among Jewish Australians there is an unquestioning, overriding loyalty and commitment to Australia, as should be the case for all Australian citizens participating in Australia’s multicultural society. Community building Noting point (a) in the inquiry’s terms of reference, Jewish Australians have built a strong network of community associations that serve a range of purposes, including aged care, cultural activities, education, and many others. Some of these associations or organisations are relatively new, others exceed 100 years of existence. Many of these organisations are privately funded, including representative organisations, such as the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and its state-based affiliates. Some Jewish community entities receive government funding to support their services in the form of recurring funding or one-off grants. These include Jewish schools located in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, which receive government funding, consistent with other non-government schools. Jewish community-run aged care programs and residential care, such as Jewish Care in Victoria and NSW (separate entities), are also beneficiaries of government aged care funding. While in some quarters there is a perception that Australian Jews are all financially secure, research indicates that one in five Australian Jews reports their financial circumstances as strained, and one in 20 Jews reports having to reduce meals or go without medicine due to financial difficulty2. In response to this reality, the Australian Jewish community has demonstrated a willingness to fundraise and support those who are needy (see for example the Jewish Communal Appeal Destinations 20193). When the need has been too great, government support has been sought. An example of this is to cover security costs, as outlined in the next section. 1 Graham, D and Markus, A (2018) “Gen17 Australian Jewish Community Survey : Preliminary Findings”, Monash University https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1531791/gen17-initial-findings- report-online-version-final-22_3.pdf 2 Graham, D and Markus, A (2018) “Gen17 Australian Jewish Community Survey : Preliminary Findings”, Monash University https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1531791/gen17-initial-findings- report-online-version-final-22_3.pdf 3Jewish Communal Appeal (2019) “JCA Destinations: 2019 program and funding needs” https://issuu.com/tpg26/docs/jca_destinations_directory_2019?fr=sYmRmNzE3ODI1NQ 2 Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Level, 20-22 Albert Rd, South Melbourne VIC 3205 www.aijac.org.au Safety concerns Ongoing security and safety concerns are of a high priority for the Jewish community in Australia. Jewish Australians face an ongoing threat from local and international actors, however it is important to note that the Australian Jewish community has not had experience protecting dissidents or those opposed to a state-based regime, as other diasporic communities may experience. Nonetheless, the Australian Jewish community has responded to unique security threats, which have not abated as the community matures. According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s 2019 antisemitism report, for the past five years, there have been, on average, six physical antisemitic assaults, 96 instances of antisemitic abuse and 63 instances of vandalism or graffiti, each year. These incidents have been perpetrated by individuals with varying motivations – including local individuals inspired by the far-right or neo-Nazi ideologies, those who hate Israel and attack Australian Jews as a proxy for Israel, and some individuals from other religious groups4. In response to these concerns, the Jewish community has been required to take steps to protect individuals, including installing physical security infrastructure, upgrading IT and employing security personnel. In recognition of the security cost borne by the Jewish community, both major political parties have provided financial assistance (see, for example, news report of funding provided by a federal Coalition Government5 and media release reporting funding provided by a state Labor Government6). The Jewish community, through organisations including AIJAC and the Community Security Group, also maintains effective and productive relations with local police, the Australian Federal Police, Australian Defence Force, Department of Defence, Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Office of National Assessments and various Government and Opposition leaders. 4 Nathan, J (2020) “Antisemitism in Australia 2019: Incidents and Discourse”, Executive Council of Australian Jewry, https://www.ecaj.org.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/ECAJ-Antisemitism-Report-2019- condensed.pdf. 5 Narunksy, G (2020) “Security funding ‘unfortunate but necessary’”, Australian Jewish News, https://ajn.timesofisrael.com/security-funding-unfortunate-but-necessary/. 6 Andrews, D (2019) “Media release: Standing in support with our Victorian Jewish community”, https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/standing-in-support-with-our-jewish-victorian-community/. 3 Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Level, 20-22 Albert Rd, South Melbourne VIC 3205 www.aijac.org.au Strengthening participation in Australia’s democratic and social institutions Jewish Australians have been active participants in democracy in Australia since the election in 1849 of Lionel Samson to West Australian Parliament. This tradition has continued to this day, with Jewish Australians filling seats in both state and Commonwealth parliaments. This being said, Jewish Australians have not always been welcome participants. This is both historic, and contemporary, as at the 2019 federal election7. Jewish community organisations, including AIJAC, have advocated for effective vilification laws in Australia and in the states and territories. This includes opposing moves to remove section 18C from Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act, which offers essential protection to individuals and groups8, including those participating in Australian society. Conclusion AIJAC thanks the committee for the opportunity to participate in this inquiry. It should be emphasised that there is no singular diaspora concept, each diaspora community has its own unique combination of attributes. This submission has presented a very brief response to the terms of reference of this inquiry from the perspective of Australia’s Jewish community. Australia’s multicultural society and democracy is enhanced by the participation of diverse ethnic, religious and cultural groups, including diaspora groups. For more information please contact: Dr Colin Rubenstein AIJAC Executive Director Jeremy Jones AIJAC Director of International and Community Affairs 7 Levin, N (2019) “Antisemitic vandalism during this federal election campaign – why is it happening? What can be done”, ABC Religion and Ethics, https://www.abc.net.au/religion/antisemitic-vandalism-during-the-federal- election-campaign/11111046. 8 “AIJAC’s submission to the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into Freedom of Speech and article 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act” (2017) https://aijac.org.au/resource/aijac-s-submission-to-the-federal-parliamentary/. 4.