Albanese Government announces national database to tackle anti-Semitism as police probe overseas link

The Albanese Government has announced a new national database to track anti-Semitic crime amid fresh police warnings that overseas actors may have used cryptocurrency to pay local criminals to carry out an alarming series of attacks against the Jewish community.

The unified national reporting system to better coordinate responses between Federal and State and Territory authorities, was created after an urgent meeting of the national cabinet on Tuesday afternoon.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened the meeting of state and territory leaders after an overnight arson attack on a Sydney childcare centre compounded national shock over the rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes.

A Government statement following the meeting said attorneys-general across the country would “work to ensure best practice is shared across jurisdictions with Victoria and New South Wales leading this work.”

Victoria and NSW have experienced the most high-profile acts of anti-Semitism in recent months, although hate crimes against the Jewish community have risen nationwide since the 2023 October 7 Hamas terrorist atrocity against Israel, according to data from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

“National cabinet met virtually today to reaffirm that Leaders are united in working together to stamp antisemitism out — and keep it out,” said the statement.

The cabinet was called after Mr Albanese caved to pressure from repeated calls from the Coalition, the peak Jewish body and his anti-Semitism envoy for a more robust response to the ongoing national crisis.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw briefed the meeting on the latest police intelligence.

In a separate statement, he said police were probing whether “overseas actors or individuals have paid local criminals in Australia” in cryptocurrency to carry out some of the attacks.

Police are also looking into whether young people had been carrying out any of the attacks, and if they had been radicalised online. He called for public calm as police work to charge the people “demonising and intimidating” the Jewish community.

The Commissioner confirmed arrests had been made under Special Operation Avalite, established by the Prime Minister in December to target high-harm anti-Semitism, and Operation Ardvarna, which targets the display of prohibited symbols, and that “more are expected soon.”

Under Operation Avalite, the AFP has received 166 reports of crime, with 15 “serious allegations” under investigation. One person has been arrested to date.

A parallel operation in NSW set up by Premier Chris Minns, dubbed Strike Force Pearl, has charged three men — aged 20, 19 and 21 — after ten vehicles and buildings were deliberately damaged in Woollahra in November 2024.

In total, 36 people have been charged with anti-Semitic related offences, including eight people charged with 59 offences.

Four men — aged 31, 27, 40 and 26 — have been charged following suspicious fires at two businesses in Bondi in October 2024.

A woman aged 34 was charged after vehicles and buildings were deliberately damaged in Woollahra in December 2024.

Under Operation Park in Victoria, established by Premier Jacinta Allan, 70 arrests have been made.

The Prime Minister “reaffirmed that the full resources of the AFP and federal intelligence agencies stand ready to assist the efforts of Strike Force Pearl, Operation Shelter and Operation Park,” said the statement.

On Tuesday, Anthony Albanese condemned the “evil hate crime” against the Sydney childcare centre and said the Government would support NSW Police to “hunt down the offenders and ensure they face the full force of the law.”

The Government has faced criticism from opposition parties and Jewish community leaders for not acting swiftly or robustly enough to stem a tide of anti-Semitic behaviour over the past year.

However, Labor defended its record on Tuesday, pointing to a sweep of new measures in recent months that included the creation of Operation Avalite, a landmark ban on the Nazi salute and hate symbols, the criminalisation of doxing and $57.5m for security measures at Jewish sites, including schools and synagogues.