Words stopped being enough a long time ago — consequences are long overdue

Across Australia, for more than two years, we’ve witnessed a dangerous decline — not just in rhetoric, but in leadership, accountability, and moral courage. The result is a nation increasingly failing to protect its Jewish community — and, by extension, the values that define us all.

This past weekend laid that failure bare. Neo-Nazis from the National Socialist Network gathered outside Parliament House in Sydney, chanting “Blood and Honour” and waving a banner reading “Abolish the Jewish Lobby.” This wasn’t an unauthorised stunt — it was approved. Police signed off on it, a permit was granted, and officers stood by as it unfolded without a single arrest. In a country that prides itself on tolerance and equality, and where laws exist to prevent hate speech and incitement, a group of extremists was effectively permitted to spread their poison in broad daylight.

The excuses came quickly. Senior police and politicians claimed they weren’t aware of the approval. Others cited “communication breakdowns.” The Premier called it “naked racism and hatred,” and the Prime Minister condemned it. But reviews, inquiries and statements are no longer enough. There must be consequences. Leadership means accountability — not outrage after the fact.

This isn’t an isolated incident. From the appalling chants at the Sydney Opera House on 9 October 2023 to repeated failures to enforce existing laws against hate, the pattern is unmistakable. The rank-and-file police — the men and women doing the hard work — deserve better direction. But at the top, the system keeps failing. Those who should set the standard have allowed hate to march freely under the cover of bureaucracy.

For years, in New South Wales, we took uneasy comfort in believing that our policing and political failures weren’t as bad as Victoria’s. It was Melbourne that was dubbed the “Nazi capital” after masked neo-Nazis marched through the CBD, chanting and intimidating bystanders while police looked on and leaders scrambled to condemn them. By contrast, NSW police were praised for “textbook” responses — intercepting National Socialist Network members and breaking up gatherings before they could spread their hate. But after an authorised neo-Nazi rally was allowed to go ahead on the steps of Parliament House in Sydney — under our own anti-vilification laws and with every warning imaginable — that comforting gap has vanished.

Part of the problem lies within our own community. Too many of our leaders and peak organisations have become content with warm words and symbolic gestures from government — as if meetings, photo opportunities, and polite statements of “support” were sufficient. They have applauded good intentions when they should have demanded firm action. That can no longer continue. We cannot accept reassurance in place of results, nor celebrate access to power while ignoring the absence of consequences.

Our communal leadership has a moral obligation to hold governments to account — not shield them from scrutiny or soften their failures. When our safety is at stake, when Jewish children are targeted on campuses and our people are intimidated on the streets, the role of our peak bodies is not to make governments comfortable, but to make them act. Good relationships are meaningless if they don’t deliver protection, justice, and deterrence.

History shows where complacency leads. In pre-Nazi Germany, Jewish leaders and citizens trusted deeply in the institutions of their state — the courts, the police, and the supposed decency of their neighbours. They believed extremism would fade if they stayed calm and loyal. Historians, including those at Yad Vashem, describe how that trust became a fatal illusion — how German Jews’ faith in the system blinded them to its decay.

We’d be foolish not to hear echoes of that history now. When Jewish Australians are told “don’t overreact,” “trust the process,” or “it’s being reviewed,” while hate marches unchallenged through our streets, we are hearing the same reassurances that once kept others silent for too long.

The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies put it plainly: evil left unconfronted becomes evil normalised. And that is where we are headed — if not already there. Jewish Australians, and indeed every decent Australian, have the right to live free from fear and intimidation. Yet that right is being eroded by apathy, excuses, and a dangerous willingness to settle for words instead of action.

This must be a turning point. Allowing neo-Nazis to rally on the steps of Parliament House in Sydney sends a message that our laws are weak and our resolve weaker still. It tells extremists there is no cost for their conduct, and it tells victims of hate that their safety is negotiable.

Our leaders love to speak of Australia’s values — multiculturalism, respect, and unity. But those words mean nothing if they aren’t enforced. Ministers must be held to account. Police and prosecutors must use the laws we already have. Governments must ensure extremists are never again given official permission to spread hatred in our streets. And our communal leaders must stop letting government off the hook for its “good intentions” and comforting words.

This is not about politics. It is about principle. The Jewish community — like every community in this country — must feel safe, respected, and protected. Words stopped being enough a long time ago. What Australia needs now are consequences.

Our leaders — in government and in the community — have a choice. They can act decisively and restore faith, or they can keep talking while Australians lose trust in their willingness to lead. This is their moment of truth.

Michael Gencher is the Executive Director of StandWithUs Australia