The arson and vandalism attack on buildings and vehicles in Sydney’s eastern suburbs overnight was abhorrent and should be forcefully condemned by all Australians.

This is just the latest in a series of attacks on Australia’s Jewish community, designed to intimidate, threaten and silence.

And it is an attack on values we must all protect and defend as Australians, and on the social compact that binds us together as citizens.

The purpose of such attacks is entirely to menace, and to make one group of Australians feel unsafe in their own community and homes.

I have spoken to the NSW Police and asked that they investigate this attack as a matter of the highest priority. I stressed the importance of identifying the perpetrators of this attack and holding them to account for their criminal actions.

I am reassured to learn that NSW Police have set up a Strike Force to track down those responsible, that they are treating this investigation as a priority, and their recognition of this as a clear ‘hate crime’.

For far too long acts such as these have been allowed to go unpunished in our society, with the result being that these radical actors have only grown more emboldened and more extreme. This has not only resulted in one group of Australians feeling unsafe in their own country. It has profoundly damaged the social fabric of our nation.

I have also been in contact with the Mayor of Woollahra to convey my concerns.

If residents of the area have information that would help the police, including relevant camera footage or other information, please report it immediately to the police, who are present in the area.

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