In a submission to the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion, federal MP Josh Burns detailed a torrent of antisemitic abuse questioning Jewish Australians' loyalty. He warned that historic prejudices are being normalised across the political spectrum, creating an environment where antisemitism becomes legitimised from multiple directions.
Older Antisemitic Tropes Resurface
Burns, the member for Macnamara, said that the accusation that Jews can never truly belong to the countries they call home is one of the oldest antisemitic tropes. He cited historical examples from Spain, France, and the Soviet Union, where Jews were forced to convert, assimilate, or suppress their identity. 'No matter how long the Jewish community contributed to a society, we were always suspected of serving someone else,' he wrote.
He noted that over the past three years, this rhetoric has become normalised online, with forums and comment sections becoming a 'cesspool of antisemitic abuse.' Burns also highlighted that his partner, Georgie Purcell, has faced misogynistic and violent sexualised comments, and even harm was wished upon their newborn baby.
Antisemitism on Both Sides of Politics
Burns observed that antisemitism is not always overt bigotry. Criticism of a foreign government often descends into conspiracies and collective blame of Jewish people. He said historic prejudices are now presenting themselves on both sides of politics. 'I have seen this in far-right groups celebrating abuse... I have seen activists in progressive spaces justify or minimise the same behaviours when targeted towards the “wrong” kind of Jew,' he wrote.
He referenced the firebombing and vandalism of his office as an example of this legitimisation. 'While the justifications are different, the outcome for Jewish Australians is the same – fear, exclusion and hatred,' he said.
Personal Connection to the Issue
Burns appeared before the royal commission not as an MP but as the grandson of a refugee who fled Nazi Germany. His grandmother was deemed stateless before she could read. Her parents travelled as far as possible from Germany in hope of safety. In Australia, they found a safe haven. 'Just two generations later, I still pinch myself that I am a member of the federal parliament,' he wrote.
He said that growing up in Australia's Jewish community, he was told by Holocaust survivors how fortunate they were. He experienced antisemitism only a handful of times and never felt he didn't belong. But now, Jewish life in Australia has become increasingly isolating and, on many occasions, dangerous.
Call for End to Dehumanisation
Burns stressed that Jewish Australians are not asking for criticism or debate to be silenced. 'We know what that feels like. But we are asking for the dehumanisation and diminishing of our experiences to end,' he said. He argued this is not about curtailing freedom of expression but about ensuring Australians of every faith, ethnicity, and sexuality can express themselves without vilification.
'That freedom is exactly why my family, and so many others, fled persecution to come here. It’s the same freedom that has allowed them to safely participate in Australian life as equals for generations. And it must always be protected,' he concluded.
