Daniel Andrews and Nova Peris to become patrons of the national Labor Friends of Israel Australia
Labor Friends of Israel Australia co-convenors Dr Mike Kelly, Eric Roozendaal and Dr Nick Dyrenfurth have announced that former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews ALP Senator Nova Peris have agreed to serve as the inaugural patrons of the national body.
Dan Andrews
LFI was formed earlier this year to acknowledge Australian Labor’s long-standing commitment to, and support for, the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in their historic homeland, the State of Israel.
Dr Mike Kelly is a former Army Officer, Federal Labor MP and Minister for Defence Materiel. Eric Roozendaal is a former NSW treasurer and former NSW ALP General Secretary. Dr Nick Dyrenfurth is a leading Labor historian, commentator and author, former Secretary of the ALP’s National Policy Forum and Executive Director of the John Curtin Research Centre.
In a joint statement, the c0nvenors said: “The Labor Friends of Israel is delighted to announce that Mr Andrews and Ms Peris have agreed to serve as inaugural patrons. We count them both as among the strongest supporters of the Jewish community and Israel in the Australian Labor Party
Dan Andrews said: “I have always supported Israel and the Jewish community. It’s important now more than ever to stand against antisemitism and terrorism, I am proud to work with Nova Peris an outstanding Australian.”
Nova Peris added: “I am appalled by the rise of antisemitism in Australia and want to ensure the Labor party stays true to its values of respect and equality for all Australians.”
Nova Peris
During his time as Premier of Victoria, Dan Andrews was a strong supporter of Israel, an opponent of antisemitism and oversaw security upgrades for Jewish schools and places of worship. He also adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism and banned the public display of Nazi symbols.
In December 2017, he visited Israel on a trade mission and opened a Victorian Government Trade and Investment office in Tel Aviv.
The first Aboriginal Australian to win an Olympic gold medal, Nova Peris is an international athlete representing Australia in field hockey and on the track, a former national politician and a First Nation activist.
She was elected to the Australian Senate at the September 2013 federal election – becoming Australia’s first Indigenous woman elected to the national parliament. She retired from the Senate in 2016. She is an Ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation.
In February, she spoke out against pro-Palestine supporters for using Aboriginal flags in protests against Israel. She said she was “saddened” to see the Aboriginal flag being “misappropriated” by pro-Palestine supporters at rallies across the country in recent months.
She has also been outspoken in her support for the Australian Jewish community and the State of Israel. Most recently, she addressed major Jewish communal organisations in Melbourne and Sydney.
Why not a non political Friends of Israel- as is already working. Or a bi- partisan Friends of Israel?