Read on for article

New Zealand’s Jewish leadership has issued an urgent call for the Government to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to combat antisemitism, in light of Australia’s bold new plan and the re-confirmation of a neo-Nazi group on New Zealand’s terrorism watchlist.

The New Zealand Jewish Council and the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand released a joint statement on Friday, urging immediate government action to stem what they describe as a “marked and disturbing rise in antisemitic incidents” — particularly within New Zealand universities.

Their call comes just one day after Australia unveiled a landmark national strategy to tackle antisemitism, announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese alongside Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Special Envoy on Antisemitism Jillian Segal. The Australian plan includes a “zero-tolerance” approach to antisemitism across sectors such as education, media, culture, and public service, with potential consequences for institutions that fail to act, including loss of funding.

By contrast, the New Zealand Government has remained largely silent despite an intensifying climate of hostility reported by Jewish students and professionals across the country.

“This is not theoretical,” said Ben Kepes, spokesperson for the NZ Jewish Council. “It is Jew-hate. We are hearing from young Jewish New Zealanders who avoid wearing visible symbols of their faith, who choose to remain silent in classroom discussions, and who fear for their safety. We have Holocaust survivors being retraumatised by vile slurs reappearing in public spaces. This is a crisis.”

Deborah Hart, Chair of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand, echoed the warning: “Antisemitism in schools is reaching epidemic proportions. Our children are fearful and feeling victimised with troubling frequency.”

The organisations called for a clear, consistent policy against antisemitism across all public institutions, and for public funding mechanisms to be tied to enforcement of anti-hate standards. They emphasised that criticism of Israel’s policies or advocacy for Palestinian rights does not in itself constitute antisemitism — but pointed out that attacks on Jews who support Israel’s right to exist, or calls for the destruction of the Jewish state, cross the line.

Their appeal was given added weight by a parallel development in New Zealand’s counterterrorism policy: the renewal of neo-Nazi group The Base on the national terrorism designation list. The white supremacist group, which promotes race war and global ethno-nationalism, was first listed as a terrorist organisation in 2022. On Thursday, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet announced that The Base remains a threat due to its ongoing recruitment, online activity, and international operations.

Although no New Zealand-based terrorist attack has been directly linked to The Base, the Government said its presence on the list sends a strong message of deterrence and alignment with like-minded democracies such as Australia, Canada, the UK, and the EU.

For the Jewish community, the contrast between New Zealand’s reactive stance on extremism and Australia’s proactive antisemitism strategy is increasingly untenable.

“What happens next will determine whether Jewish Kiwis, students, teachers, professionals, artists, and community members continue to feel they have a place in the Aotearoa we all call home,” the statement read.

With public sentiment shifting and incidents of antisemitic hostility no longer confined to online fringes, Jewish leaders say the time for platitudes is over.

“The Australian Government has recognised the danger and acted. We urge our leaders to do the same.”