Dutton announces federal crackdown on antisemitism, including visa cancellations

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a sweeping new policy to combat antisemitic hate crimes in Australia, promising to reopen cold cases, direct federal police to prioritise investigations, and cancel visas for foreign nationals involved in such conduct.

Outlined in a detailed submission to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), the proposal aims to reinforce the Coalition’s law-and-order platform ahead of the 2025 federal election, while addressing what Jewish community leaders describe as an escalating threat.

The plan includes a formal ministerial direction to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to prioritise cases involving antisemitism, the formation of a specialist taskforce, and the review of unresolved reports involving harassment, vandalism, threats, or intimidation. It also invokes ministerial powers under the Migration Act 1958 to cancel visas of those implicated in antisemitic acts.

In a statement to the ECAJ, a Liberal Party spokesperson said: “We will issue a new ministerial direction to the AFP to prioritise addressing antisemitism, including doxxing, incitement, harassment, and the public display of terrorist symbols. This would include re-evaluation of any decisions to not proceed with charges for these offences. Visa holders involved in such acts will be referred for immediate cancellation and deportation.”

The Coalition’s focus includes cold cases, particularly those arising after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, which were previously dismissed or deprioritised due to resource constraints or a lack of ideological recognition. Many incidents saw investigations stall despite evidence of antisemitic motivation, or did not result in charges even when suspects were known.

One such case is the “terror caravan plot,” involving coordinated threats against Jewish institutions in Melbourne. Initially characterised by police as the work of low-level criminals seeking financial gain, it was later revealed that the alleged ringleader, Sayet Erhan Akca, had a record of antisemitic activity, including sharing neo-Nazi content and Holocaust denial online. Akca fled the country while facing serious drug charges. The case’s handling drew widespread criticism and led to calls for an inquiry into how authorities assessed its ideological dimensions.

According to the ECAJ’s 2023 Antisemitism Report, there was a 738 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the four weeks following the Hamas attacks, compared to the same period the year prior. More than 150 incidents were recorded in October alone, the highest monthly total in over three decades, including threats, physical assaults, graffiti, and online harassment. Community organisations link the surge to international conflict spillover, radicalisation online, and increasing political polarisation.

The Coalition’s policy would rely on Section 501 of the Migration Act, which enables the Minister for Immigration to cancel visas on character grounds. While affected individuals may appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal or Federal Court, the minister’s discretion is broad, especially where public safety is invoked. Proponents argue that those who promote hate should not remain in Australia. However, civil liberties advocates warn that such powers could suppress legitimate political dissent, particularly when criticism of Israeli government policies is conflated with antisemitism.

The Albanese Labor government has also acted to counter rising antisemitism. Measures include banning Nazi symbols, appointing a special envoy for antisemitism, boosting security funding for Jewish institutions, and forming its own federal police taskforce. In its response to the ECAJ, Labor placed stronger emphasis on foreign policy, including conditional support for recognising Palestinian statehood. A spokesperson said: “Recognition of a Palestinian state could occur as part of a peace process. The Albanese Labor government sees no role for Hamas in any future Palestinian state.”

Despite bipartisan opposition to the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement and shared support for banning extremist symbols, tensions remain. Jewish leaders have voiced frustration over Labor’s decision to run an open ticket in Macnamara, a key Melbourne seat with a large Jewish population, without ruling out preference deals with the Greens, a party frequently critical of Israel.

As the 2025 federal election approaches, antisemitism and Australia’s legal and diplomatic responses to it are shaping up to be a major political fault line. For the Coalition, unresolved hate crimes are now symbolic of justice denied. For others, the concern lies in safeguarding civil liberties while confronting a growing threat. Either way, the issue has moved firmly to the centre of national political debate.