Wednesday, 3 December 2025

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (19:38): (2205) My matter is for the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and it concerns the decisions of the Stonnington council – a council in my area – in the last few days. The council voted the other night, on Monday evening, on the question of whether a menorah would be put up ahead of Hanukkah time. My view is that this is a very modest step. The menorah would be placed at the Malvern town hall for the eight-day Hanukkah festival. That received strong support, I am told, from the gallery. There were heckles and strong support. But there was a pushback when Cr Steve Stefanopoulos sought to delay a decision on the menorah. I am not sure why he would do that. Tom Humphries, who moved the motion, was called on to withdraw, according to the paper remarks that he made, in which he said the decision was ‘nothing short of antisemitic’. I do not know whether it was antisemitic, but it was certainly unhelpful. I think that a modest thing like putting a menorah up for a few days of Hanukkah is the sort of step that could be required.

What I would like the minister to do is talk quietly to the mayor and to other councillors and to indicate that this is squarely within the support that I think we should be offering to the Jewish community. The Jewish community has had a very rough time of it, really, since the events in Gaza. There have been enormous attacks and problems on Jewish community members, not least the Adass bombing and the burning of that synagogue. I think this is really a very sad and difficult time for many in the Jewish community. I think in my own area in Stonnington it would be the right thing. I will certainly be talking to the council and saying that I think they should put the menorah up for just that period. I think this is something we can do as a community to send a clear and strong signal that we support the Jewish community. I note that the article referred to Stonnington resident Michelle Ajzensztat, who said that the vote was ‘extremely disappointing’. She said:

We’ve got Nazis marching in our streets, we’ve got anti-Semite stuff everywhere …

It’s all about having candles lit for a very positive festival that doesn’t denigrate anybody.

She makes the point that she is very happy to have Christian festival points marked but would also like that festival to be marked. I am calling on the minister: will you please talk to the Stonnington council and ensure that the menorah is put in place? I note the strong support from many.