Joel Burnie, executive manager of the Australia-Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), spoke to a May 8 Middle East Forum Podcast (video). The following summarizes his comments:
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Labor Party achieved a “stunning” electoral victory in Australia with a very large mandate. A “middle global power,” Australia has long been aligned with America’s support for Israel, but in the past few years since the Labor Party came to power, there has been “a steady departure from [a] very, very long-standing bipartisan position on Israel.” Policies are now more akin to Western European allies’ “pro-Israel light” position in comparison.
A year and a half after the Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians, “the Australian Jewish community still lives in fear.”
As Australia’s government cooled towards Israel, antisemitism exploded in the country post-October 7, with both federal and state governments incapable of tackling the rise in Jew-hatred. Downtown Sydney’s pro-Hamas demonstrators burned Israeli flags with chants of “kill the Jews” as the New South Wales police stood by and watched. What began with low-level intimidation of Jews escalated to burning synagogues and vandalizing the homes of Jewish leaders. A year and a half after the Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians, “the Australian Jewish community still lives in fear.”
Mounting violence spurred legislation to appoint an antisemitism envoy who recommended a non-government judicial inquiry into campus antisemitism, “and the government rejected her proposal.” The Labor Party’s political response is attributable to the demographics of the seats it held with pro-Palestinian sentiments. The party’s ideology shifted more than a decade ago when, following the first Trump administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, it only recognized the western part of Jerusalem as Israel’s sovereign territory. Australia has since distanced itself further, removing even that recognition a year before October 7.
While the rapes, mutilations, and massacres of October 7 were still occurring, Penny Wong, Australia’s foreign minister, engaged in “Twitter diplomacy,” calling for “calm and restraint.”The government, in a form of “gaslighting” the Jewish community, speciously claimed it was maintaining its historically bipartisan relationship with Israel.
Labor’s policy towards the Islamic Republic of Iran is somewhat similar to the previous Liberal-National Coalition’s policy in that it includes additional sanctions on Iranian individuals, as well as sanctions on Iranian financial entities. Labor argues that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) cannot be listed as a terror organization under the criminal code because it is a “state-based organ,” and as such, an “arm” of the Iranian government that is legally precluded from being listed. This excuse could simply be addressed through a legislative amendment to enable listing of an organ of state as a terror organization if it meets certain thresholds.
There are “nefarious IRGC elements [that] are active in Australia” at its universities, and should Australia list the IRGC as a terror organization, the Iranians could retaliate by arresting and jailing any dual Australian citizens in Iran. One option for Australia would be to “target certain entities within the [IRGC] organization” instead of listing the entire IRGC. Overall, however, the “position of the government could be better on Iran.”
The Greens are “not just an anti-Israel party; they’re an anti-Jewish party as well,” and would have demanded “punitive actions against Israel.”
Before the election, Labor’s victory was not a foregone conclusion. Had Labor not reached the threshold majority of seats in the lower house, it would have required assistance from such minor parties as the Green Party and the Teals (centrist independents) “to form a governing coalition in minority.” The Greens are “not just an anti-Israel party; they’re an anti-Jewish party as well,” and would have demanded “punitive actions against Israel.”
Some 900,000 Muslims in Australia believe Albanese’s government is “complicit in genocide” because of Labor’s condemnation of October 7, its naming of Hamas as a terror organization, and its confirmation of Israel’s right to self-defense. Because of Australia’s compulsory voting system, turnout is 92-93 percent. Consequently, the last election was a clear mandate by the people in support of Labor. In light of its “overwhelming victory,” Albanese’s party will take a “middle of the road” position regarding Israel to reflect the majority’s wishes. That means “not going too hard on the pro-Palestinian file, but not going too hard on the anti-Israel file.”
The Greens would have also challenged the alliance between Australia and the United States by targeting the AUKUS agreement, a trilateral security agreement between Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. which supports a free and open Indo-Pacific. The agreement, which represents a strategic alliance between the three countries, also supports Australia’s acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine fleet. Albanese, “a steadfast supporter of the AUKUS agreement,” avoided the Greens’ challenge with his party’s overwhelming electoral victory
Albanese is well aware of the “importance of the strategic relationship” with the U.S. that transcends military and defense issues. It encompasses trade, economic partnerships, and a common culture aligned with America. A “tension point” between the two allies is Australia’s position on Israel. It has also been apparent since October 7 that Israel has “strategically changed the whole environment and neighborhood in the Middle East.” Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iraqi militias, Syria, the Iranians, and Hamas have all been weakened through Israel’s military means and its capabilities. “These are the type of friends you want.”
“It is clear that it is in Australia’s national interest to maintain a strong relationship and alliance with Israel” for Australia’s own “geopolitical and defense and security needs.”
Some of the Indo-Pacific countries affected by AUKUS have diplomatic and close defensive ties with Israel. “Our friends in the region are going to maintain those defense and military relationships, even in the absence of official diplomatic relations.”
“Anything that degrades or places (Australia’s relationship with Israel) in jeopardy, whether or not political or ideological lines, places Australia in a precarious position when the prospect of fighting a very large war in the Indo-Pacific is probable and quite high.”
Given that the AUKUS relationship is not directly connected to Chinese interests in the region, the prospect of a military clash has spurred Japan, South Korea, and India to increase their defense spending. “It is clear that it is in Australia’s national interest to maintain a strong relationship and alliance with Israel” for Australia’s own “geopolitical and defense and security needs.”
