Opposition leader Sussan Ley is calling on the Albanese government to implement "measures that work" following a spate of attacks on the Jewish community over the weekend.
Twenty congregants were forced to flee an East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Friday night after a man doused the building's front door with flammable liquid before setting it alight.
The incident was one of several over the weekend, which included offensive chants outside an Israeli-owned restaurant in Melbourne's CBD.
Speaking to reporters outside the 150-year-old synagogue on Tuesday, Ley threw the Opposition's full support behind a 15-point plan by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) to fight antisemitism.
"Hate can never be normalised, can never be excused or explained away," she told reporters in east Melbourne.
The Liberal Party leader met with leaders of the Jewish community in east Melbourne following a spate of antisemitic attacks over the weekend. Source: AAP / Con Chronis
She was joined by Jewish MP Julian Leeser, Opposition immigration spokesperson Paul Scarr and Victorian senator James Paterson at the synagogue.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has faced criticism for not visiting the synagogue since the attacks, despite vehemently condemning the incidents.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke visited the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation on Sunday, labelling the incident "an attack on Australia".
In February, the ECAJ recommended the declaration of a national emergency, better coordination between agencies to fight antisemitic terror and improved training for law enforcement.
It calls for the Migration Act to explicitly refuse visas on the grounds of antisemitic conduct, despite the immigration minister having powers to cancel or refuse visas on the grounds of failing the character test.
It also includes a change to the national curriculum to include antisemitism education as well as a public awareness campaign.
Education Minister Jason Clare has hinted at changes to the national curriculum, reiterating that Holocaust education was an important part of the existing school system.
Albanese responds to calls for National Cabinet on antisemitism
Ley continued the Opposition's calls for the prime minister to convene the National Cabinet, suggesting it should happen on a "regular basis".
"There are issues around this which require the policing authorities across the different states to come together so we don't have failures of laws and law enforcement," she said.
"And we've also got issues that we have separately identified in a childcare centre in Melbourne."
However, speaking 20 minutes before Ley, Albanese said the community doesn't "want a meeting, they want action".
There were a number of antisemitic incidents over the weekend in Melbourne, including the attempted arson of a synagogue. Source: AAP / James Ross
"One of the reasons why this gentleman has been caught so quickly is because the CCTV that was in place there was a direct result of Commonwealth government funding," he said.
"We will respond to any request constructively. That is what we have done."
The federal government committed extra funding to the ECAJ to enhance security in December after a fire tore through two of three Adass Israel synagogue buildings in Melbourne's south.
It is intended to help the Jewish community assess risks and threats, increase security monitoring, and upgrade infrastructure, such as security cameras, lighting, fences, and alarm systems.
It follows a $25 million grant to the ECAJ in October 2023 and the assignment of Jillian Segal as Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia in 2024 as part of the government's ongoing efforts to preserve social cohesion in Australia.
