You mention that "The most dangerous form of racism in Australian history and in contemporary Australia is anti-indigenous racism." On the day i first read about Segal's report, the following article discussed the Kumanjayi Walker case. My first thought was that had he been Jewish, and not Aboriginal, the media would have handled that case very differently, and I think that provides an example of where this country needs to lift its game in relation to bigotry. Now that i have that off my chest, thanks for such a comprehensive discussion of the implications of Segal's report.
It should be mentioned that the Jewish Council of Australia, a relatively new voice in Australia, has been deeply critical of Israeli brutality and criminality in Gaza.
Excellent essay. I support the right of the state of Israel to exist. Certainly Israel has faced three wars in which surrounding states have attempted to destroy the state. But Israel’s behaviour in Gaza is beyond the pale.
Beyond the pale indeed! “Beyond the pale” isn’t just a turn of phrase—it’s a blueprint. Forged in English settler rule in Ireland, it marked who could be starved, dispossessed, or slaughtered with impunity. That same brutal logic shaped famine policies across empire and fenced Aboriginal people into missions. Today, the genocidal apartheid state of Israel carries it forward—walling off, starving, and murdering Palestinians in Gaza. The settler state always declares its victims “beyond”—beyond humanity, beyond care—so mass murder can masquerade as policy, not atrocity.
“The oppressed, instead of striving for liberation, tend themselves to become oppressors, or ‘sub-oppressors.’ The very structure of their thought has been conditioned by the contradictions of the concrete, existential situation by which they were shaped.”
Hi Robert, Thank you for these incisive comments. They reflect my horror at the actions of the State of Israel. However, I am for the first time questioning the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state. As a teenager I read the novel Exodus and thought what a heroic and just venture. Not any more, it just seems to be another failed colonial power mistake. Regards Peter Wilkins
Thank you for this powerful analysis. So clear and so correct. Antisemitism is racism. But not a special form of racism, worse than others. And as you so well point out, it is not the principal form of racism in this country. For Siegel report to make no mention of Gaza is disgraceful. Labor must abolish these ‘special envoy’ appointments.
A Good Reminder from Robert Manne: "there is probably no country in the world—including even the United States—where Jews have been treated more justly and equally than Australia. Isaac Isaacs, a Jew, was one of the original High Court judges. Later he became Australian Governor-General. Our most revered soldier is probably John Monash, a Jew. Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, following the vicious anti-Jewish action in Germany, “Kristallnacht”, and the German annexation of Austria, Australia offered refuge for up to 15,000 refugees from Germany and Austria. The chief sponsor of this offer was the Australian High Commissioner in London, the former old-fashioned “liberal” Prime Minister, Stanley Bruce. Both my parents, who met in Australia, were beneficiaries."
Thankyou Robert for so elequently and lucidly expressing a brave, moral and rational position that I and many Jewish and non-Jewish friends share. Perhaps you have read a recent statement by Tim Hollo that also adopts a similar view. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EuazV4r2M/
The Segal report is well worth criticising, and Manne makes many good points. But he also misreads a lot.
- she doesn’t say antisemitism is worse than other discrimination, not even implicitly. Several of her recommendations (3.2, 3.4, 3.7, 3.10) are expressly about all hate/discrimination, not just antisemitism.
- she doesn’t propose organisational responsibility for any anti-discrimination discovered on a public institution’s turf. She proposes responsibility for facilitating, enabling or failure to protect (3.4) or for promoting, facilitating or not effectively dealing (3.7). That’s the same standard currently used for workplace harassment.
- she doesn’t propose monitoring by an unidentified, possibly all Jewish body. She propose monitoring roles for herself, a royal
Commission, TEQSA, grant bodies (3.4), public broadcasters and governments (3.7.)
- she doesn’t propose making the IHRA definition mandatory for all individuals or organisations. She proposes its adoption and application by government, public institutions and regulators (3.1.) Only some individuals are singled out, notably (and appallingly) non-citizens (3.9.) I’m a bit surprised you don’t specifically mention that one, which is especially Trumpian.
There’s so much that’s in the report to criticise. Why spend so much time criticising things that aren’t in the report?
I applaud Robert Manne’s essay here . It is good to see him on the right side of the argument , where I stand also . Another powerful essay on our side published recently , perhaps too late for Robert to mention. - Richard Flanagan in The Age.
I began reading Robert Manne in the 80s, when he wrote for The Australian! He hasn't been as prominent lately, well, at least not to me. It's refreshing to read his heartfelt and accurate description the the overreach in Segal's report. I'm sure many Jewish people are, at least, concerned with the events of the last couple of years, but the reaction in some quarters, will in time, been seen to be counter-productive. I'm not sure Segal is addressing a problem that exists in Australia. I suspect her overriding motivation is to make sure her report is a warning to a problem that doesn't yet exist in Australia. But the lack on nuance is disappointing and must be giving the Albanese government a headache. Let's hope it doesn't overreach, too.
You mention that "The most dangerous form of racism in Australian history and in contemporary Australia is anti-indigenous racism." On the day i first read about Segal's report, the following article discussed the Kumanjayi Walker case. My first thought was that had he been Jewish, and not Aboriginal, the media would have handled that case very differently, and I think that provides an example of where this country needs to lift its game in relation to bigotry. Now that i have that off my chest, thanks for such a comprehensive discussion of the implications of Segal's report.
It should be mentioned that the Jewish Council of Australia, a relatively new voice in Australia, has been deeply critical of Israeli brutality and criminality in Gaza.
Excellent essay. I support the right of the state of Israel to exist. Certainly Israel has faced three wars in which surrounding states have attempted to destroy the state. But Israel’s behaviour in Gaza is beyond the pale.
Beyond the pale indeed! “Beyond the pale” isn’t just a turn of phrase—it’s a blueprint. Forged in English settler rule in Ireland, it marked who could be starved, dispossessed, or slaughtered with impunity. That same brutal logic shaped famine policies across empire and fenced Aboriginal people into missions. Today, the genocidal apartheid state of Israel carries it forward—walling off, starving, and murdering Palestinians in Gaza. The settler state always declares its victims “beyond”—beyond humanity, beyond care—so mass murder can masquerade as policy, not atrocity.
This is a powerful contribution to the discourse in Australia at the moment. Thank you.
“The oppressed, instead of striving for liberation, tend themselves to become oppressors, or ‘sub-oppressors.’ The very structure of their thought has been conditioned by the contradictions of the concrete, existential situation by which they were shaped.”
Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Hi Robert, Thank you for these incisive comments. They reflect my horror at the actions of the State of Israel. However, I am for the first time questioning the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state. As a teenager I read the novel Exodus and thought what a heroic and just venture. Not any more, it just seems to be another failed colonial power mistake. Regards Peter Wilkins
Thank you for this powerful analysis. So clear and so correct. Antisemitism is racism. But not a special form of racism, worse than others. And as you so well point out, it is not the principal form of racism in this country. For Siegel report to make no mention of Gaza is disgraceful. Labor must abolish these ‘special envoy’ appointments.
Thank you
A Good Reminder from Robert Manne: "there is probably no country in the world—including even the United States—where Jews have been treated more justly and equally than Australia. Isaac Isaacs, a Jew, was one of the original High Court judges. Later he became Australian Governor-General. Our most revered soldier is probably John Monash, a Jew. Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, following the vicious anti-Jewish action in Germany, “Kristallnacht”, and the German annexation of Austria, Australia offered refuge for up to 15,000 refugees from Germany and Austria. The chief sponsor of this offer was the Australian High Commissioner in London, the former old-fashioned “liberal” Prime Minister, Stanley Bruce. Both my parents, who met in Australia, were beneficiaries."
Thankyou Robert for so elequently and lucidly expressing a brave, moral and rational position that I and many Jewish and non-Jewish friends share. Perhaps you have read a recent statement by Tim Hollo that also adopts a similar view. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EuazV4r2M/
The Segal report is well worth criticising, and Manne makes many good points. But he also misreads a lot.
- she doesn’t say antisemitism is worse than other discrimination, not even implicitly. Several of her recommendations (3.2, 3.4, 3.7, 3.10) are expressly about all hate/discrimination, not just antisemitism.
- she doesn’t propose organisational responsibility for any anti-discrimination discovered on a public institution’s turf. She proposes responsibility for facilitating, enabling or failure to protect (3.4) or for promoting, facilitating or not effectively dealing (3.7). That’s the same standard currently used for workplace harassment.
- she doesn’t propose monitoring by an unidentified, possibly all Jewish body. She propose monitoring roles for herself, a royal
Commission, TEQSA, grant bodies (3.4), public broadcasters and governments (3.7.)
- she doesn’t propose making the IHRA definition mandatory for all individuals or organisations. She proposes its adoption and application by government, public institutions and regulators (3.1.) Only some individuals are singled out, notably (and appallingly) non-citizens (3.9.) I’m a bit surprised you don’t specifically mention that one, which is especially Trumpian.
There’s so much that’s in the report to criticise. Why spend so much time criticising things that aren’t in the report?
I applaud Robert Manne’s essay here . It is good to see him on the right side of the argument , where I stand also . Another powerful essay on our side published recently , perhaps too late for Robert to mention. - Richard Flanagan in The Age.
Tony Kevin
Thank you for saying what needs to be said!
I began reading Robert Manne in the 80s, when he wrote for The Australian! He hasn't been as prominent lately, well, at least not to me. It's refreshing to read his heartfelt and accurate description the the overreach in Segal's report. I'm sure many Jewish people are, at least, concerned with the events of the last couple of years, but the reaction in some quarters, will in time, been seen to be counter-productive. I'm not sure Segal is addressing a problem that exists in Australia. I suspect her overriding motivation is to make sure her report is a warning to a problem that doesn't yet exist in Australia. But the lack on nuance is disappointing and must be giving the Albanese government a headache. Let's hope it doesn't overreach, too.
Thank you