The document revealed that the Ministry of Home Affairs warned the government as early as November 2023 that its perception of Israel on one side during the Gaza conflict made Palestinian and Muslim Australians feel “very angry” and “betrayal” and fear of social cohesion.
A briefing document to then-Immigration Minister Andrew Giles in November 2023 was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. It discussed “social cohesion measures”, which included a $25 million package announced in October 2023 to enhance resilience and improve support for Palestine, Muslims and other Australian communities, following Hamas’ attacks on Israel and subsequent wars and Israel’s war in Gaza. The document said a total of $52.8 million was approved for conflict-related social cohesion measures.
In the view of the government at the time, the Home Office told the minister that the Palestinian and Muslim communities “feel very angry, hurt and betrayed and believed to be the message from the government, as well as the lack of support for Palestinians in Gaza and for the Australian community”.
The department said community members were traumatized by the conflict, troubled by the welfare of Gaza people, and felt that “the speech of senior leaders is eliminating previous progress in improving social cohesion”.
The department recommends that the community calls for “more balanced speech from the government” due to concerns about the increase in Islamophobia and hate speech, and the department recommends that the response to the financing announcement be cold.
The summary notes that the Jewish community appreciates the funding announcement but is concerned that all Jewish Australian communities will not be able to access the funding of the program and that their security and anti-Semitism examples are concerned.
In total, a total of $7 million in packages to support the Palestinian and Muslim communities were provided to media organizations, and $3 million was provided to AAP and SBS to combat misinformation and disinformation about the war. The funding was reviewed in Senate estimates in mid-2024, while Palestinian groups expressed frustration at partial redistribution, given that another $25 million of funds were handed directly to the Executive Council of the Australian Jews.
The 2023 briefing document cites the “significant media interest” of the conflict and its impact in Australia, noting that the funding grounds are based on community concerns about “misleading, divisive and insensitive” coverage.
“The media has a great interest in the Hamas-Israel conflict, including how it feels its impact in the domestic environment and the response of the government,” the department said. “Community reports that the rhetoric of public leaders has separated public debate, exacerbated tensions and reduced the sense of belonging that affects the community.”
The Home Office recognized the potential issues involved in the Australian security sector were checked through funding for participation in the media, noting that the department “could be criticized for hindering the editorial independence of AAP and SBS and was seen as “censoring public debate, discussion or political opinion.”
The department has previously faced criticism from the right, including politicians such as liberal Alex Antic, who have made more than 500 requests to social media companies to remove misinformation and false information related to the Covid-19-19 pandemic.
Its recommendations highlight that the grant guide under the Funding Program emphasizes the editorial independence of the two agencies, and that the department “will not and will not attempt to influence editorial decisions.”
When asked about the department’s decision to transfer some funds to media organizations rather than to the community entirely directly, Home Affairs Secretary Tony Burke told the Australian Guardian: “There is a serious challenge at the moment to ensure that the government supports the community through very difficult times. I focus on that and continue to consult with the relevant groups.”
Over the past 18 months, opposition has criticized the Albany government’s growing reaction to the Australian anti-Semitism incident. It accused Labor of failing to provide proper support to Israel in the region, including the convening of the United Nations at the United Nations for Israel’s “illegal existence in occupied Palestinian territory as soon as possible” after Australia split with the United States in December.
