THE AUSTRALIAN
SAM BUCKINGHAM-JONES
High-profile Jewish groups have distanced themselves from comments made by two members of the Jewish community slamming sections 18C and 18D of the Racial Discrimination Act.
Dr David Adler, a health professional from Sydney, and Avi Yemini, a Melbourne-based former Israeli soldier, wrote in a submission to a parliamentary joint committee on human rights the two sections are “inconsistent with Jewish theology”, do not address anti-Semitism and would have muzzled biblical prophets.
However, Dr Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Jewish group B’nai B’rith’s Anti-Defamation Commission, said the two men do not speak for the broader community.
“Through our work combating bigotry and anti-Semitism, we have found that effective protections against racial and religious vilification are a necessary tool in countering the unique harm caused by this type of hate speech and incitement,” he said.
“While freedom of speech is a cherished human right and a cornerstone of our democracy and faith, it has never been absolute … Sections 18C and 18D are essential elements in the rich, tolerant and respectful mosaic of our multicultural nation, and should be retained.”
Executive director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council, Dr Colin Rubenstein, said in a statement section 18C, while important, must be administered better.
“Section 18C plays an important role in supporting Australian multiculturalism, which is so intrinsic to the cohesion of our society,” he said. “However, that is not to say that the section and the way it is administered can’t be improved. It has been in operation for over twenty years, and elements of the QUT case have shown that aspects of its application process can be problematic.”
Mr Peter Wertheim, executive director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, was one of 10 ethnic groups to urge the government not to “weaken” the Racial Discrimination Act by removing sections 18C and 18D.
Several Jewish community groups have made submissions to the parliamentary joint committee, which is due to publish a report in February next year.