A question about rising anti-Semitism in Australia has divided Q&A; viewers and prompted a scathing assessment of the country’s politicians.
Race and religion were two dominant topics during ABC’s show on Monday night, with panellists asked about their views on rugby player Israel Folau’s sacking for homophobic social media posts, and the constitutional recognition of Aboriginal people.
But it was a question about anti-Semitism and how Australia should tackle the problem, which inspired the most passionate response.
Labor frontbencher Mark Dreyfus said it was the duty of Australian leaders to speak out against racism in all its forms, including anti-Semitism.
“It is very, very important that everybody in a position of leadership speak up.” he said.
University of Western Sydney creative arts lecturer Rachael Jacobs agreed with Mr Dreyfus, but said there was a need to call the country’s leadership out.
She said One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson had appeared in parliament wearing a burqa and had also tried to pass a motion that it was “OK to be white”, which Ms Jacobs said basically translated to “it’s OK to be a racist”.
“It’s not some fringe groups that exist in the shadows … this is right in front of our face. And then we wonder why we see the rise of anti-Semitism and wonder why we see the rise of racism,” she said.
However, she defended the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel as not being about anti-Semitism but rather targeting an Israeli state that was supporting an “apartheid regime” against Palestinians.
Read the article in the Chinchilla News.