Andrew L. Urban
In December 2025, high-profile ABC TV journalist Laura Tingle’s claim that the infamous targeted attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach was not motivated by religion has been met with fury and disbelief. Speaking on the ABC ‘Politics Now’ podcast on Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 18, 2025), Tingle said the actions of the terrorists “have got nothing to do with religion”.
The shooters had homemade Islamic State flags (Islamic…big clue, Laura) in their vehicle parked at Bondi. The ABC itself had also reported on the Monday that the younger gunman, Naveed Akram, the survivor of the two, had been investigated by ASIO in 2019 for alleged ties to an ISIS cell in Sydney. Naveen is under arrest and unavailable to disagree with Tingle.
In early 2022, Whoopi Goldberg also made surprisingly uninformed remarks on the US show “The View” regarding the Holocaust, stating that it was “not about race” but rather “about man’s inhumanity to man.” This comment sparked significant backlash from Jewish leaders and organizations, who emphasized that the Holocaust was fundamentally about racial persecution, as the Nazis viewed Jews as an inferior race
The only sure way to get rid of antisemitic bigotry is to get rid of those who hold such views. Just as you can’t legislate to rid us of stupidity, no laws can remove racism or Jew hatred from the mindset. Revoke and refuse visas where appropriate, deport those who have committed any race/ hate driven crime in Australia. The Nazi symbol is prohibited, perhaps the keffiyeh should be, too; same intent.
People talk of Australia having changed on December 14, 2025 as the dead and injured were testament to the hatred allowed to fester for two years burst open. No, Australia hasn’t changed. What’s changed is the power of the light shining on the manifestation of Jew hate.
But fools are found in every corner.
The following comment I posted on The Australian regarding the story on a Royal Commission resisted by the Labor Government was rejected by the moderator the other day:
“No surprise that a Government which has acted against Israel’s interests (eg UN vote, eg recognition of Palestine, eg acceptance of ICC judgement against Netanyahu) and stood aside as antisemitic demonstrations and attacks flourished doesn’t want a Royal Commission inquiring into antisemitism. But in any case, everybody knows the truth. Resisting a Royal Commission just amplifies its complicity…”
I’ve been first a theatre critic and later a freelance contributor to that masthead, and a loyal reader, since 1981. If the comment rules are broken by this comment, my heart is broken for The Australian.
More on the unreliability of The Australian’s moderators
Still, the latest TV campaign is sure to change all that. It’s titled “This is Australia. #StandUpToHate”, fronted by celebrities mouthing deadpan platitudes like “everyone is equal”. Of course, it urges “no more antisemitism. No more Islamophobia.” The only platitude missing is “World peace now”.
It is so embarrassing no organisation has claimed to have produced it, neither private nor Government.