Read Sarah Schwartz’s article in the Guardian and speech in full - when Peter Dutton and the Coalition use the Jewish community as political footballs it makes all of us less safe
January 28, 2025
Dear supporters,
Today, our Executive Officer Sarah Schwartz published this article in the Guardian, about how Peter Dutton and the Coalition use the Jewish community as political footballs, and how this makes all of us less safe.
The article is a version of Sarah’s speech at a pre-symposium comedy debate to a QUT anti-racism conference, for which she has been subjected to abuse, threats and vicious and escalating attacks in the Murdoch Press and by pro-Israel lobby groups, based on blatant lies and misreporting.
You can read Sarah’s speech in full, and make up your own mind.
Sarah’s speech critiqued and challenged reductive stereotypes of Jewish people, pushed by Peter Dutton, Donald Trump and the far-right, which are used to promote division, attack diversity, and push an anti-immigration agenda.
The campaign against Sarah aims to send a warning to other Jewish people that they will be smeared, bullied and defamed if they dare to speak out.
As we said yesterday, we are not going to be silent in criticising Peter Dutton for fuelling racism!
Our First Nations and Palestinian colleagues involved in this symposium are also being targeted and misrepresented by this same smear campaign, which aims to silence the voices of those speaking out against racism. If you can, please write to QUT’s Vice Chancellor at vc@qut.edu.au in support of the Carumba Institute, the organisers of this important antiracism event. The Carumba Institute provides a world class Indigenous research and educational environment that foregrounds Indigenous sovereignty.
We thank the hundreds of people who have already reached out to us and to Sarah to express your solidarity and support. Our fight is the fight against all forms of racism, including antisemitism, and for human rights and liberation for all. We hope you will continue to walk with us in this fight.
The Jewish Council of Australia
P.S. If you do have any funds to spare we would greatly appreciate your tax-free donation . Every dollar will be spent defending and sustaining our work into the future.bop09
