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The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) warmly congratulates the Hunter’s Hill Council for taking a clear and principled stand on Monday with the adoption of a local “Strategy to Combat Antisemitism.”
CAM extends particular thanks to Councilor Carol Tannous-Sleiman for her leadership in bringing the matter before the council.
Hunter’s Hill is a suburb of Northern Sydney located in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW).
The agenda for Monday’s council meeting described the proposed antisemitism strategy as a “structured and proactive framework for prevention, education and response.”
“It reflects best-practice approaches adopted by other NSW councils and is informed by recognized definitions of antisemitism, including the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition, as well as relevant state and federal legislative frameworks,” the agenda said.
“The strategy emphasizes awareness-raising, community education, partnerships with specialist organizations and coordination with state agencies, recognizing that councils are well placed to lead community-based initiatives while working collaboratively on specialist responses,” it added.
“By adopting a dedicated strategy, Hunter’s Hill Council affirms that antisemitism has no place in the municipality and that protecting the dignity, safety and rights of Jewish residents, visitors and the broader community is integral to maintaining a respectful, inclusive and resilient local government area,” it concluded.
The meeting agenda, including a copy of the strategy, can be read in full HERE.
In her first action as CAM’s new Australian Public Affairs Officer, Sheina Morrison delivered compelling testimony at Monday’s council meeting, detailing the rise of antisemitism in public life, schools, and online spaces and highlighting the urgent need for local authorities to draw a firm line.
“This is not complicated,” Morrison, whose father Reuven was murdered in the Bondi Beach Hanukkah massacre in December, said. “Either we are clear about what we will not accept or we accept what follows. Hunter’s Hill Council has chosen clarity, and that matters.”
Councilor Tannous-Sleiman stated: “Our community deserves to feel safe and valued. This policy sends a message that hatred has no place in Hunter’s Hill and that council will not stand by while it takes hold.”
CAM commends the council for showing that local leadership makes a real difference.
Last September, CAM organized the inaugural Australian Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, chaired by Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, where more than 250 local leaders, representing almost 100 councils across Australia, engaged in constructive dialogue and shared practical strategies to address the rising challenge of antisemitism and other forms of hate.
Read more:
At First Australian Mayoral Summit Against Antisemitism, Local Leaders Commit to Action Plans
