Dismay at flyers distributed in Sydney

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Homes in the Sydney suburbs of Double Bay and Bondi have been targeted in a campaign to spread racial hatred against Jews.

Both suburbs have a high level of Jewish residents.

The flyers laying claim to assertions that Jews had been kicked out of European countries were left in letter boxes in the beach and harbour side suburbs.

The offending flyer

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff commented: “The flyer is an appalling litany of racist stereotypes, all too predictable from neo-Nazi organisations. It’s no coincidence that 88 – which appears on the flyer – represents HH, which stands for Heil Hitler. It’s very concerning that such blatant hatred is alive and well in our country and instructive that such groups believe the climate is conducive for them to come out of the woodwork.” 

Federal Liberal member for Wentworth Malcolm Turnbull within whose electorate the campaign was mounted said: “We are the most successful and harmonious multicultural society in the world today. We should have zero tolerance for racism and racial hatred. Racism and race hatred is a threat to our nation and its security. It must be opposed, called out and condemned wherever it is found.

The racist, anti-semitic leaflets distributed in Bondi today  are not just a crude and vicious attempt to intimidate and insult the Jewish community, these leaflets seek to undermine the security and the harmony of Australia and hence of all Australians.

The leaflets and those responsible for them should be condemned  for this hateful and unAustralian behaviour. “

Turnbull was asked on ABC radio

MICHAEL BRISSENDEN: Can I just ask you quickly about some flyers that have been distributed around your electorate. Anti-Semitic leaflets in quite a few houses across eastern Sydney have you seen them and what do you think of them?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: I have seen them they are despicable, they are racist Anti-Semitic filth and they do not simply seek to intimidate the Jewish community. They seek to and serve to undermine the stability and security of our country. This is the most successful multicultural society in the world. Our security, our prosperity, our safety depends on it remaining that way and people that think they can pick on one ethnic group or another and if it’s the Jews in Bondi yesterday it will be somebody else tomorrow we know that. Those people don’t just intimidate those groups they gnaw away at the foundations of the whole society and that’s why they should always be condemned. We should have zero tolerance for racism, zero tolerance for racism.

NSW State Opposition Leader John Robertson issued a joint statement with Guy Zangari Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Community saying: “We are shocked and disturbed by reports that antisemitic leaflets have been discovered in letterboxes in Bondi. The content of these leaflets is racist, abhorrent and has no place in contemporary Australia.

NSW Labor unreservedly condemns the publication and dissemination of this material and welcomes the investigation by NSW Police.

Every Australian – no matter what their religious faith or country of origin – has a right to feel included and respected.

Any form of racial or religious bigotry violates that right.

We live in the most successful multicultural society on earth.

In these troubled times across our world, let us remember that every Australian is owed respect – not just in recognition of our diversity, but also our common humanity.”