Matt Thistlethwaite defends Labor’s record amid rising hate

When antisemitic graffiti was found at a childcare centre next to Maroubra synagogue earlier this year, Matt Thistlethwaite, the Federal MP for Kingsford Smith, was on the ground within the hour.

“The first phone call I got that morning was from the Prime Minister,” he recalled. “He said, ‘This is shocking. I’m going to be in your electorate in an hour. I want you to meet me there.’” That swift response, followed by visits from the NSW Premier and Education Minister, set the tone for what Thistlethwaite described as “a symbol of support for the community.”

Thistlethwaite represents an area that includes suburbs with significant Jewish communities, such as Maroubra and Coogee, with Jewish residents making up approximately 6% of the Kingsford Smith electorate.

Since the October 7 Hamas attacks, he has been at the frontline of efforts to ensure Jewish residents feel safe and heard. In response to the Maroubra incident, Thistlethwaite initiated a community safety task force. “We meet every two weeks with police, local leaders and Jewish representatives to share updates and concerns,” he said. “When Manfred from Grandma Moses bakery raised concerns about harassment and lack of CCTV, I raised it with the local commander, who visited the next day and got it sorted.”

The long-serving Labor MP, a moderate known for his collaborative style, strongly defends the Albanese government’s record. “We’ve been one of the most active governments in terms of legislative reform to support the Jewish community,” he said, pointing to new offences for threatening or inciting violence, anti-doxing laws, and the ban on Nazi symbols. “There have already been 33 arrests under these laws.”

Other measures include $55 million in security funding for Jewish institutions and the appointment of Jillian Segal as Australia’s first special envoy for antisemitism. “We also launched a national police and intelligence operation to tackle hate crime,” he added.

Thistlethwaite said the government is delivering on most of the ECAJ’s recommendations, even without formally signing on. “We’re already implementing three-quarters of the plan,” he said. That includes new school-based Holocaust education initiatives and two inquiries into antisemitism on university campuses. “The parliamentary report is in and we’re working on the recommendations,” he confirmed.

He elaborated that the government had already acted on many of the legislative recommendations in the ECAJ plan, such as introducing new hate speech and hate crime laws, banning Nazi symbols, criminalising doxxing, and including mandatory minimum sentences for those convicted of threatening violence against individuals or communities based on religion or ethnicity. In the education sector, new funding has been allocated to enhance Holocaust education and raise awareness of antisemitism in schools. Additionally, the government is examining the findings of the parliamentary inquiry into campus antisemitism, with the aim of ensuring better protection and support for Jewish students.

On the recent rise in antisemitism on campus, he was blunt: “I’ve met Jewish students who’ve been subjected to disgusting abuse. Some universities were too slow to act, but changes are now underway.”

Asked about immigration concerns, Thistlethwaite pushes back at claims the government had failed to vet visa applicants from Gaza. “Every single person who comes to Australia undergoes a security and health check,” he said. “ASIO maintains a watch list of individuals flagged for connections to extremist groups or hate speech. Anyone who raises a red flag through this process is denied entry.” Since October 7, Australia has issued 14,000 visas to Israelis (with 400 rejections) and 4,000 to Palestinians (with 7,500 rejections). “That shows the system is working.”

He praised the resilience of Jewish immigrants, many of whom arrived post-WWII with little support. “They came with barely anything and built extraordinary lives,” he said. “We’ve learnt from that, and now we have much stronger integration support through the Settlement Employment and Transition Service (SETS).”

The MP, who visited Israel in 1999, reaffirmed Labor’s support for a two-state solution. “We just want the threat of October 7 to never happen again,” he said. “That means two states with recognised borders where people live in peace.”

He acknowledged tensions over recent UN votes and Australia’s labelling of settlements as “illegal.” “That’s long been our party’s platform,” he explained. “We can disagree with aspects of Israeli policy and still be strong allies.”

In recent weeks, Thistlethwaite has helped deliver new community funding. That includes a $2 million grant to Jewish House for expanded crisis accommodation and a $50,000 infrastructure upgrade for the Coogee Synagogue. “These are practical measures that show we value this community,” he said.

With pressure mounting on Labor MPs like Tony Burke and Jason Clare from Islamic groups in western Sydney, Thistlethwaite remains confident. “There’s no such thing as a safe seat anymore,” he said. “But if you’re in touch with your community and you deliver, they’ll stand with you.”

When asked if some Jewish voters feel abandoned by Labor, he paused. “I understand that sentiment. But I ask people to look at the facts: reform after reform, funding, engagement. That’s what matters.”