Chris Minns issues apology and strong commitment to combat antisemitism

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns delivered a powerful and deeply personal address today at the Sky News Australia Antisemitism Summit at Central Synagogue in Bondi.

He not only condemned the rise of antisemitism in the state but also issued a formal apology to the Jewish community of NSW for allowing the Sydney Opera House protest to proceed on October 8, 2023.

Minns acknowledged that Jewish Australians have long sought refuge and security in Australia, trusting that the country would be a safe and welcoming place. “Jewish people have come to this country with the promise of a new life in Australia, and it’s been a very simple promise,” he stated. “Despite centuries of horrifying violence, Australia would be different. Australia would be safe. It would be a country that accepts and protects and even celebrates Jewish people, not just providing a refuge, but offering hope, a future.”

However, he admitted that recent events have shaken this belief. “If the events of the summer have shaken that faith, if they put that promise into question in any way, I speak on behalf of millions of people in NSW when I say we are appalled and we are heartbroken,” he declared. He specifically referenced the widely condemned scenes at the Sydney Opera House on October 8, 2023, when antisemitic chants and hate symbols were displayed during a protest. “It was appalling to see the hateful scenes on the steps of the Sydney Opera House one day after October 7, and I can tell you, I’m deeply ashamed that it happened under my watch as Premier of this state.”

Minns’ remarks came as NSW Parliament debates new hate speech legislation aimed at providing legal protections against antisemitic and other hate-driven threats. “We may not be able to legislate our way out of all problems, but we can establish a deterrent with the resources needed to root out antisemitism,” he said. The Premier stressed that tougher laws were needed to ensure those who commit acts of racial hatred are fully prosecuted, including new laws targeting the display of Nazi symbols and religious harassment.

His speech also reflected the distress and fear that Jewish families in NSW have faced over the past year. “I know that you’re exhausted and frustrated and justifiably angry,” he said, addressing the Jewish community directly. “No one should ever have to change their behavior because of the ignorance and bigotry of small minds of other people.” He described distressing incidents in which Jewish children had stopped wearing their school uniforms in public out of fear and pledged that his government would work to restore their sense of security.

Minns drew upon the words of the late British Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, reinforcing that the fight against antisemitism is not the responsibility of Jewish Australians alone. “Jews cannot fight antisemitism alone. Because the victim cannot cure the crime. The hated cannot cure the hate. The only people who can successfully combat antisemitism are those active in the cultures that harbour it,” he quoted.

The Premier concluded by paying tribute to the resilience and contributions of the Jewish community in NSW, calling their presence essential to the state’s identity and progress. “New South Wales has been the home for Jewish people ever since eight Jews sailed here on the First Fleet,” he reminded the audience. “And now, it’s our turn to have your back—to destroy the poison of antisemitism that walks among us, to cast it off again into the garbage bin of history where it undoubtedly belongs.”