Howard’s criticism shows the moment is slipping away from Albanese

2 months ago 3

In an earlier interview on Sky, the Liberal elder spared no punches, describing the prime minister’s responses in 2023 as “some words from the word salad he gave at the time” and questioning Albanese’s sincerity.

“Australians can work out a phony, they can work out when they are being treated to weasel words.”

Just for good measure, the man who initiated Australia’s gun law reforms after the Port Arthur massacre added that he did not want a focus on gun law reform “to be used as a pretext to avoid the broader debate about the spread of hatred of Jewish people and anti-Semitism”.

Though he left office almost two decades ago, Howard has lost none of his ability to summarise a moment and explain it in plain language to the Australian people.

It was an extraordinary intervention from an 86-year-old former prime minister, unlike any public remarks he has made since leaving parliament. It was also a reminder of what leadership sounds like.

You can disagree with his verdict on the government’s efforts to combat antisemitism - many do - but Howard articulated what many members of the Jewish community – are feeling right now.

Albanese, in contrast to Howard, has appeared rattled at times, flat-footed and unclear. Of course, he, like us, is shocked and horrified.

The national cabinet agreement to tighten gun laws is welcome, but was anyone seriously going to oppose it after such a deadly act of terrorism on Australian soil?

He has been working to confront this crisis day and night since the news broke and trying to convey calm and unity. He’s copped it. Nobody is suggesting Albanese doesn’t care. But he looks and sounds like he doesn’t have a clear plan yet.

Calling a national summit on antisemitism that brings together faith leaders, politicians and community leaders and gets them talking would be a good start on the way to the unity he says it is his job to deliver.

And why have former prime ministers and MPs been turning up at Bondi to pay their respects in such a piecemeal fashion?

Surely it would be more meaningful for all of Australia’s prime ministers to visit Bondi for a day of national mourning, bipartisanship and speeches about the enormous contribution Jews have made to Australia for more than a century?

The government’s failure to respond in full to antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal’s report, released in July, is a thorny issue that will not go away. If the government did not wish to adopt some of Segal’s recommendations, it should have explained why, and said what it was prepared to do instead.

Howard’s criticism of Albanese for not doing enough to combat antisemitism over the last two years hit hard because it is what Jewish leaders have been saying as synagogues have been firebombed, businesses and MPs’ offices attacked and open hostility has flourished.

The prime minister likes to say that under his government no one is left behind and no one is held back.

Right now, the Australian Jewish community feels left behind.

Albanese needs to do more to rescue this moment and bring Australians together. It is starting to slip away from him.