Coalition launches antisemitism taskforce following Bondi terror attack
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The news: Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has formed a Coalition antisemitism, extremism and counterterrorism taskforce, according to media reports, following the Bondi terror attack on Sunday that claimed 15 lives.
The context: Ley will head the internal group which aims to increase scrutiny of the federal government’s response to antisemitism and examine national security weaknesses and emerging risks exposed by the terror attack inspired by the Islamic State.
The taskforce will ramp up pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to implement recommendations put forward by antisemitism special envoy Jillian Segal.
The taskforce will assess how the special envoy's recommendations can be "progressed, strengthened and implemented" and the Coalition will consider putting its own private members' bills before parliament if required.
It will also seek to identify gaps in law enforcement powers and carry out "direct and ongoing engagement" with Jewish community leaders and organisations to improve their protection and restore confidence, the ABC reports.
The group which includes Coalition frontbenchers Michaelia Cash, Jonno Duniam, James Paterson, Julian Leeser, Andrew Wallace and Bridget McKenzie, met for the first time on Tuesday and is set to meet with Segal on Wednesday, according to a Sky News report.
What they said: On the establishment of the Coalition taskforce, Ley said: "The terrorist attack at Bondi was an attack on the Jewish community and an attack on Australia itself. It was a line crossed that cannot be ignored."
"For too long, antisemitism has been allowed to grow in plain sight. What we saw at Bondi is the consequence of failure to confront extremism early and decisively."
"The prime minister has said he will do whatever it takes. Leadership now means doing the hard work, not delaying it. That must start with implementing the government’s own antisemitism envoy’s report in full, not shelving it or watering it down."
The sources: ABC, Sky News, Daily Telegraph, SBS, The Australian
