NSW grants boost security for Jewish community

Jewish institutions in NSW are among faith communities set to benefit from a new $5 million state government funding round to improve safety at places of worship and other religious gathering places.

The latest round of the Safe Places for Faith Communities Grants will support 127 organisations across NSW, bringing the total number assisted under the program since 2023 to 355.

The program is part of the Minns government’s $15 million four-year commitment to strengthen safety and security at churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and other faith-based sites. It funds practical measures including security systems, infrastructure upgrades, incident management, first-aid training, and safety and wellbeing support services.

NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said all faith communities had the right to gather safely.

“All faith communities in NSW have the right to gather and practise their religion in safety and without fear,” Kamper said.

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to supporting our diverse communities, and our $15 million investment in strengthening security at places of worship reflects that commitment. This funding will help grant recipients deliver practical upgrades that make their communities safer and more secure.”

Multicultural NSW chief executive Joseph La Posta said the grants would help faith organisations put targeted safety measures in place.

“This funding will deliver long-lasting benefits for faith groups by helping them provide peace of mind in their places of worship,” La Posta said.

“We thank the faith organisations across NSW who have come forward and identified practical solutions for their communities so that we can deliver targeted support.”

For the Jewish community, the announcement comes amid sustained concern about security following the 14 December Bondi Beach terrorist attack, which killed 15 people at a Chanukah gathering and led to the establishment of the federal Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.

It also follows a series of recent state and federal measures aimed at improving security for Jewish communal life.

In this week’s federal budget, the Albanese government committed $46.7 million over four years for wider Jewish community support. That includes $22 million over two years for security and infrastructure upgrades at the Hakoah Club, $17.2 million for an open grants program for priority Jewish community projects, $4.4 million for Chabad of Bondi and $3.1 million for infrastructure improvements at the National Jewish Memorial Centre.

The budget also includes a separate additional $22 million over three years for the Executive Council of Australian Jewry to support security for the Australian Jewish community. ECAJ will act as the conduit for allocating that funding to communal organisations.

The NSW government separately moved last December to make it easier for places of worship to install security infrastructure. Planning changes announced at that time allow religious sites to install measures such as bollards, fencing, lighting, security cameras, safety glass and reinforced doors without requiring a development application. The government said the change would support more than 3,900 churches, 167 mosques and 25 synagogues across NSW.

The latest funding round adds to a growing security response from state and federal governments as Jewish schools, synagogues, community centres and events continue to face increased safety costs and heightened threat concerns.