NSW Jewish Board of Deputies supports NSW government on hate speech laws
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies has today strongly endorsed the Minns government’s decision to uphold the state’s new hate speech laws, rejecting calls for their repeal as a dangerous step backward.
President David Ossip praised Premier Chris Minns’ leadership, arguing that the Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Bill 2025 is essential for protecting not only Jewish Australians but the broader community from racial hatred and violence.
“We welcome the Premier’s strong statement today confirming that the NSW Government will not be repealing hate speech laws passed by Parliament last month,” Ossip said on Thursday.
His comments come amid growing political controversy, with the NSW Greens and civil liberties groups demanding a parliamentary inquiry into the government’s handling of the legislation. Critics argue it was rushed through under the false assumption that an explosives-laden caravan found in Dural was part of a terrorist plot, when police later determined it was a hoax.
However, Ossip warned that, regardless of the caravan’s origins, attacks on the Jewish community are part of a broader pattern of rising antisemitism and should not be dismissed as an overreaction.
NSW Premier Chris Minns
Jewish Community ‘Viciously Targeted’ in Premeditated Attacks
While the caravan plot was exposed as a criminal deception, Ossip stressed that it was part of a wider surge in antisemitic incidents in Sydney. “Regardless of motive, the Jewish community was viciously targeted over summer in a premeditated series of serious attacks,” he said.
“These attacks did not occur in a vacuum. This plot was conceived and succeeded to the extent it did by exploiting already-strained social cohesion and unprecedented levels of antisemitism in Sydney.”
Ossip noted that hundreds of antisemitic incidents had been recorded in recent months, ranging from vandalism and threats to public displays of violent rhetoric.
“This rise in antisemitism included numerous instances of heinous hate speech, including in Sydney’s streets, where Jews were depicted as less than human or as embodying the worst traits of humanity,” he said.
He highlighted public demonstrations featuring explicit calls for violence against Jews, warning that such rhetoric could not be ignored.
“Such hate speech included calls for the massacre of Jews, glorification of violence, or attempts to justify violence against Jews,” Ossip said.
Why the Hate Speech Laws Matter
Defending the NSW government’s decision to criminalise public incitement to racial hatred, Ossip argued that the law targets only the most extreme forms of hate speech, particularly when it serves as a precursor to violence.
“These laws were introduced precisely to address such speech, which provides the intellectual basis and emotional impetus for race-based crimes,” he said.
He dismissed concerns that the legislation curtails free speech, noting that democratic societies have always placed limits on speech to prevent harm.
“Those who claim these laws unnecessarily restrict freedom of speech ignore the fact that speech has never been an absolute right,” he said.
“These laws only prohibit the most egregious instances of hate speech—those that incite violence and create real fears for personal safety.”
Social Cohesion Threatened
Beyond protecting Jewish Australians, Ossip warned that unchecked hate speech threatens the broader social fabric. “As we’ve seen over the past 18 months, serious hate speech against one group doesn’t just endanger that group, it undermines social cohesion and harmony across society,” he said.
Ossip’s remarks align with Premier Minns’ stance that hate speech laws are a critical safeguard against division in NSW’s multicultural society.
David Ossip
Political Fallout & Calls for Inquiry
Ossip’s defence of the laws comes as political opponents, including Greens MLC Sue Higginson and NSWCCL President Timothy Roberts, accuse the government of misleading the public about the urgency of the legislation. Both groups are demanding an inquiry into whether the government exaggerated the threat posed by the caravan incident to justify rushing the bill through Parliament.
Higginson accused the Minns government of falling for a criminal “con job,” while Roberts claimed the Premier used “highly politicised language such as ‘terrorism’ to instil fear in the community, especially among Jews.”
Roberts further argued that the bill’s passage within two weeks bypassed proper scrutiny and eroded democratic freedoms.
“The Premier has been irresponsible in pushing legislative change so quickly rather than allowing police to complete their investigation,” he said.
Despite the backlash, Minns remains resolute, rejecting calls to repeal the laws. “These laws are essential to maintaining social cohesion,” the Premier said on Thursday.
“Our laws criminalise the intentional and public incitement of hatred based on race. They send a clear message: the people of NSW stand together against racial hatred in our great multicultural state.”
The Road Ahead
For Ossip and the Jewish community, the priority remains ensuring the laws stay in place to prevent future acts of racial hatred.
“There is no justification for repealing these laws,” Ossip said. “We thank the government for its principled stance on this issue.”
