Wednesday, 3 June 2026

 Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (17:51): I rise today to make a statement on the interim report of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, which was tabled on the 12 May. Firstly, I start the contribution remembering the 15 people who were murdered at Bondi on 15 December 2025 in an act that was fuelled by a hatred of our Jewish community.

The royal commission was established following those attacks. Given expansive terms of reference to examine these matters, it is a royal commission established under letters patent issued by the Governor-General but also by letters patent in identical terms issued by the Governor in the state of Victoria on the advice of the Premier so that it operates as a national royal commission and hence tables its reports to us as members of the Victorian community through the Parliament. It is important that we do note this interim report and we do read its comments, because we know the impact that the events at Bondi in particular have had on communities right around Australia, predominantly in Sydney but also significantly here in Melbourne, and the interconnectedness between the Jewish communities of Melbourne and Sydney is significant. Some of the victims of Bondi were in fact members of the Jewish community here in Melbourne visiting family and friends.

This particular edition of the interim report largely focuses on some of the intelligence-related issues that are largely in the discussion in the report, and this interim report is largely focused on some of the counterterrorism structures and operations and on-the-ground security, particularly with respect to Sydney and New South Wales. But they are relevant, and the lessons and the learnings are relevant, here in Victoria. Here in Victoria, in this state, the Jewish community in the Southern Metropolitan Region have been the targets of organised antisemitic terrorist attacks such as at the Adass Israel Synagogue not too long ago. The Jewish community here knows the fear that the elevated threat levels and the elevated instances of antisemitic sentiment across the community are having on them; they are experiencing it every day. So it is important that we watch this royal commission closely, that we watch the hearings that have been going on in Sydney, and that we learn the lessons of what happened in Sydney and apply them to our counterterrorism, our intelligence-based responses and our community safety and security responses here in Melbourne.

It is also important that members of the Jewish community here in Melbourne and also members of the broader community who have experiences of and understandings of antisemitism make sure that their voices are heard as part of the broader royal commission process. Every submission to the royal commission in its ongoing work builds a much clearer understanding of the extent of antisemitism in Australia and its impact on social cohesion. Submissions to this royal commission close on 14 June. If there are members out there in the community who feel that they still have something to say, there is still an opportunity to make sure that your voice is heard as part of the royal commission process. We stand with our Jewish community here in Melbourne in what are troubling times. There is a rise in antisemitic activity and trends of antisemitism. There is no room for antisemitism here in this state, and we as a government and as a community remain steadfastly committed to ensuring that every Victorian can live safely, freely and without fear of discrimination or hatred. We will continue to celebrate the Jewish community here in Melbourne and encourage them to celebrate their culture out in our community, free from fear. We need to be doing everything we can to make sure that that is possible.