Knox and Spender clash on UNWRA, hate speech, and trust at Jewish election forum

Wentworth MP Allegra Spender has told Jewish voters that tackling antisemitism is her “top priority,” delivering an emotionally charged and defiant speech at Sunday night’s election forum in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Speaking to an audience of several hundred community members at Moriah College, Spender pushed back against growing criticism from political opponents and reaffirmed her deep personal commitment to the Jewish community.

“I know that some have questioned my friendship. I’ve been called an antisemite and worse, and I stand before you today to say firmly and respectfully that that is grossly unfair and untrue,” she said. “I am the strongest ally for the Jewish community on the crossbench … You can count on me. I am a friend of this community, and I will continue to be on your side whether you vote for me or not.”

Spender’s address was part of a broader and at times heated forum hosted by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, featuring candidates from the marginal seat of Wentworth and neighbouring Kingsford Smith. Alongside Spender were Liberal candidate Ro Knox and Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite, both offering starkly different visions on foreign policy, hate speech reform, and political representation. Peter Wertheim, Co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry took the role of chairman fielding questions to the candidates.

In her opening remarks, Spender struck a conciliatory tone. “Whether I continue to be the member for Wentworth or Ro Knox is elected for the Liberal Party, I believe you will have a genuine friend as your representative in Parliament,” she said. But she quickly pivoted to a passionate defence of her record, citing her leadership on hate speech legislation, work with university administrators, and community outreach in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks.

“One of the most disturbing parts of what we have witnessed in the last 18 months have been the hate preachers… who have called for things like the final solution to the Jews. That is not protected enough under federal laws,” she said. She criticized both major parties for voting down amendments she drafted with the ECAJ to strengthen federal hate speech laws. “I will continue to push for this because it’s critical. We have to stop hatred at its source, and that means dealing with those hate preachers.”

Spender also distanced herself from calls to increase aid via the controversial UN agency UNRWA, despite previously signing a crossbench letter suggesting humanitarian funding could be routed through it if necessary. “I have never supported UNRWA as an organisation,” she clarified, pointing instead to her advocacy for aid delivery through Project Rozana. She added that she had directly lobbied Foreign Minister Penny Wong for that change.

Liberal challenger Ro Knox took aim at Spender throughout the night, positioning herself as the candidate of action and clarity in contrast to what she portrayed as Spender’s indecisiveness. “We do not need people who are going to sit on the fence and sign letters in support of Israel’s enemies,” Knox said. She cited Spender’s previous endorsement of a humanitarian aid letter that included UNRWA and claimed it undermined her credibility with Jewish voters.

On aid policy, Knox was unequivocal. “We will absolutely not be funding UNRWA in any form,” she declared. “For us as the Australian government in a cost-of-living crisis… to be spending that on an organisation as compromised as UNRWA—it’s not good enough.” She also reinforced her pro-Israel credentials, vowing to maintain close diplomatic and cultural ties with Jerusalem: “I will always stand by Israel.”

The forum followed a recent campaign flashpoint in which Knox accused Spender’s volunteers of covering up an image of an Israeli family kidnapped by Hamas with one of her election posters. Spender’s team supplied photographic evidence and a timeline disproving the claim and threatened legal action. Knox later acknowledged receiving a legal letter but said she stood by her position based on witness testimony. The tension did not stop the candidates from shaking hands before the event and was not mentioned by either candidate.

Labor’s Matt Thistlethwaite, MP for Kingsford Smith and Assistant Minister for Immigration, sought to differentiate himself by focusing on the government’s record of community support and reform. “I’ve worked as hard as I possibly can to bring our community together; to emphasise unity and respect for the Jewish community and for each other,” he said. He referenced Special Operation Avalite formed to investigate threats, violence and hatred towards the Australian Jewish community and parliamentarians as well as funding increases for security infrastructure, and newly criminalized hate speech and doxxing laws.

He defended the Albanese government’s decision to reinstate UNRWA funding after suspending it over evidence of links to Hamas: “It wasn’t until the Australian Government was satisfied that those individuals were no longer with the organisation… that that funding recommenced.”

Thistlethwaite also reminded voters of Labor’s historical support for Israel, while noting policy differences do not equate to disloyalty: “We happen to have a difference with the Israeli government at the moment over certain policies; but that does not mean I, or any member of the Labor Party, does not support the existence of the State of Israel and the right of Jews throughout the world to a homeland.”

Wentworth, home to the largest Jewish community in the country (around 15% of the electorate), is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched races of the election. The contest has national implications too, with other independent-held seats like Goldstein (Zoe Daniel) and Bradfield (Nicolette Boele) facing similar pressure from Liberal campaigns courting Jewish voters.

Ro Knox continued to press her case throughout the evening by contrasting her “certainty and strength” with what she called Spender’s “symbolic gestures.” She criticized the effectiveness of the crossbench, arguing that independents “might talk a lot, but they don’t get results.” Citing Spender’s support for motions that lacked legislative force, Knox said, “Motions are not laws—words are not action.” She pledged that a Coalition government would deliver real policy reform, not just debate, particularly in areas of education, security, and foreign affairs. “We need to be implementing policies that actually protect Jewish Australians, not just making speeches about it,” she said. Knox also reaffirmed her party’s commitment to adopting the full 15-point antisemitism plan proposed by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and claimed that only a Liberal MP could “stand firmly with Israel in Canberra when it truly counts.”

In closing, Spender reiterated her call for unity. “Standing up against antisemitism is about standing up for the values of our country and the values of my family,” she said. Knox appealed to voters who wanted decisive leadership: “If you want Wentworth to go back to the Liberal Party… if you want a strong voice for Israel, you know what to do.” Thistlethwaite closed by thanking the community for its contribution to Australia: “Australia is stronger and better for the participation of Australian Jews in our economy and our community.”