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Ed Husic says Australia shouldn’t necessarily get ‘hung up’ on definition of antisemitism
Ed Husic says Australia shouldn’t “necessarily get hung up on definitions” amid a report from the federal antisemitism envoy calling on the government to adopt a working definition of it. Husic spoke to RN Breakfast about envoy Jillian Segal’s plan to address anti-Jewish hatred, saying he’d much prefer an effort to “bring people together without necessarily having to use sticks and threats of funding”.
Segal has proposed universities and artists could have funding withheld if they fail to act against antisemitism, among other recommendations in a wide-ranging plan released this month. Husic said this morning:
I would much prefer us finding ways to bring people together rather than being heavy-handed in response. We should always be focusing on what brings us together. …
We shouldn’t necessarily get hung up on definitions. I understand the government will go through and take on board the recommendation that’s in the special envoy’s report. I just think the issue of definition instantly brings into question whether or not people will be able to raise their concerns about the actions, for example, of what the Netanyahu government is doing in Gaza and how that would be treated under a definition.
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SUV driven into luxury Sydney CBD store in ram raid targeting handbags, police say
Police in Sydney are investigating after an SUV was driven into a luxury store in the city’s CBD early Wednesday morning, part of a ram raid targeting handbags.
NSW Police said officers were called to the store around 3.45am amid reports the vehicle was driven through a shop window. An unspecified number of luxury handbags were taken before a group of people left in a white BMW wagon and grey Audi S3. The SUV remains at the scene.
All three vehicles were stolen, police said.
A crime scene has been established and police are investigating how many people were involved and what was stolen. Authorities urge anyone who sees vehicles matching the description to report them to police immediately.
Husic says envoy’s report makes critical point all must play role to combat antisemitism
Husic added Segal’s report made several stark points about the spread of antisemitism across Australia and the threats of hatred spreading among young people. He told RN Breakfast:
I think the critical point that it makes is we’ve all got a role to play in combating antisemitism, that everyone, not just government, has a role to play. Because, as the report points out, antisemitism poses a threat not just to Jewish Australians, but when hatred goes unchallenged, our democracy is at risk.
He added that claims in the envoy’s report that younger Australians were at risk of becoming “fully fledged anti-Semites” run the risk of being “a bit too sweeping”.
I appreciate the point that’s trying to be made, but I think that’s a statement we’ve got to be careful as taking as an evident truth.
Husic went on to say that he had regularly spoken out against antisemitism out of a feeling that all Australians should never feel fear “for who they are”, adding:
I’ve spoken up against antisemitism, conscious of the intergenerational trauma caused by the Holocaust … As the special envoy points out, antisemitism has been an ancient hatred. I just have to emphasise I’ve never needed a definition to do so.
I just knew I never wanted a fellow Australian to feel fear for who they are.
Ed Husic says Australia shouldn’t necessarily get ‘hung up’ on definition of antisemitism
Ed Husic says Australia shouldn’t “necessarily get hung up on definitions” amid a report from the federal antisemitism envoy calling on the government to adopt a working definition of it. Husic spoke to RN Breakfast about envoy Jillian Segal’s plan to address anti-Jewish hatred, saying he’d much prefer an effort to “bring people together without necessarily having to use sticks and threats of funding”.
Segal has proposed universities and artists could have funding withheld if they fail to act against antisemitism, among other recommendations in a wide-ranging plan released this month. Husic said this morning:
I would much prefer us finding ways to bring people together rather than being heavy-handed in response. We should always be focusing on what brings us together. …
We shouldn’t necessarily get hung up on definitions. I understand the government will go through and take on board the recommendation that’s in the special envoy’s report. I just think the issue of definition instantly brings into question whether or not people will be able to raise their concerns about the actions, for example, of what the Netanyahu government is doing in Gaza and how that would be treated under a definition.
Read more here:
Anne Davies
NSW releases housing pattern book with architectural home designs for $1
What if you could buy architect-designed drawings for a new home for $1 – and have certainty your council would approve it within 10 to 20 days?
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, will release the state’s housing pattern book on Wednesday, which contains eight blueprints for architect-designed townhouses, terraces and manor houses, chosen from internationally renowned firms including Sam Crawford Architects, Carter Williamson Architects, Saha and Anthony Gill Architects.
The designs – which will be available for $1 for the first six months and then for $1,000 – can be adjusted to fit a family’s needs and are designed with sustainability, ease of construction and cost effectiveness in mind. By comparison, getting custom architectural plans can cost upwards of $20,000.
The plans are intended to boost the state’s sluggish housing construction rates and help alleviate cost of living pressures.
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Bradley Murdoch, man who murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio, dead at 67
Bradley John Murdoch, the man who killed British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001, has died from throat cancer. He was 67.
Murdoch succumbed to throat cancer on Tuesday at a hospital in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. He had been moved to the hospital from jail in June.
In 2005, Murdoch was convicted and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum period of 28 years. The body of Falconio, believed murdered in 2001, has never been found, and Murdoch always maintained his innocence. Last month police offered a $500,000 reward for information on the location of Falconio’s remains.
Murdoch had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2019.
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Good morning, Nick Visser here to take you through the day’s news. Let’s get into it.
Make US relations our priority, Angus Taylor urges PM
Caitlin Cassidy
The shadow defence minister, Angus Taylor, has urged Anthony Albanese to shore up Australia’s relations with the United States, including signing on to a deal with Taiwan despite the prime minister’s trip to China.
Speaking on ABC’s 7.30 on Tuesday, Taylor said Australia should have strong trade relations with China, but singled out the United States and the need for the federal government to avoid tariffs on exports.
After over 250 days of this new US administration we should have seen a face-to-face meeting between the prime minister and the president of the United States and we should be seeing relationship-building and work going on … around the Aukus alliance, around our strategic alliance more broadly.
Taylor singled out a joint commitment with the US on the security of Taiwan and peace in the Taiwan Strait as something Australia should strive towards, adding that was why Aukus was “so important”.
Asked if the Coalition would be prepared to guarantee to Donald Trump that Australia would join a war with the US over Taiwan, Taylor said you couldn’t “codify your response in every scenario” but the security and peace of Taiwan was needed.
You can make principled commitments to the security of Taiwan, to peace through deterrence and capability in the Taiwan Strait … that does mean you’re prepared to act under certain circumstances.
Woman charged with murder of seven-month-old baby in Perth
A woman has been charged with murder after the death of a seven-month-old baby in Perth on Monday.
Emergency services were called to a residence in Balcatta, north-west of Perth, at around 3.10am following reports of a “serious assault”, Western Australian police said in a statement.
Police and St John WA attended and found the infant with critical injuries. Sadly, the baby was later declared deceased.
On Tuesday 15 July, homicide squad detectives charged a 31-year-old Balcatta woman with murder.
She is due to appear in Perth magistrates court today.
China hails Albanese's 'personal efforts' to restore ties
Relations between China and Australia reached a “low point” but are back on track under Anthony Albanese’s leadership, the Chinese premier, Li Qiang, said last night after the pair met in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
China’s premier congratulated Albanese on his re-election, Australian Associated Press reports, and for his “personal efforts” to stabilise the China-Australia relationship, which soured under the former Liberal government during the Covid pandemic.
“China-Australia relations have moved beyond a low point and returned to the right track of stability and development,” Li said.
Since the pair last met in October last year “a lot has happened in the world”, Li said, and there was growing instability and uncertainty in the global economy.
“The development of all countries is faced with new challenges. Given such circumstances, China and Australia as important trade partners, should strengthen dialogue and cooperation,” he said.
Albanese said he looked forward to the two nations exploring new opportunities in trade, climate change, tourism and culture.
“We’ll also have an opportunity to have a frank and open dialogue that enables us to navigate issues that need to be discussed,” he said.
For more on Albanese’s visit and his meeting with Xi Jinping yesterday, check out Tom McIlroy’s report here:
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the stories making the news this morning and then it’ll be Nick Visser to take the controls.
China’s premier, Li Qiang, last night hailed Anthony Albanese for his “personal efforts” to stabilise the China-Australia relationship, which went south under Scott Morrison’s leadership and the Covid pandemic. After a meeting in the Great Hall of the People wrapped up a busy day of diplomacy for Albanese, Li said relations had “moved beyond a low point”. More coming up.
As Albanese continues with his diplomatic offensive in China, the shadow defence minister, Angus Taylor, told ABC’s 7.30 that he believes the prime minister should be making more progress on shoring up Australia’s relations with the US. Taylor said the reset of relations with Washington should include a deal to protect Taiwan – despite the problems that it might pose with China. More coming up.
