Australian Jewish Association (AJA) CEO Robert Gregory caught up with me to discuss worrying new federal hate speech laws being drafted by Attorney General Mark Dreyfus.

While the laws are being sold to Aussies as a tool to combat antisemitism, Gregory explained how they would be misused and potentially target the very communities they are supposed to protect.

“Once these laws come in, who knows what it will be used for, who knows who it will be used against. We should be very, very careful with trusting the government, which has failed our community on many, many occasions,” Gregory said.

He expressed the Jewish community’s lack of trust in the Anthony Albanese government, urging enforcement of existing laws rather than creating new ones.

The discussion highlighted a significant increase in antisemitic incidents in Australia, but Gregory pointed out the government’s inadequate response.

“Whether it's radical imams or extremist university encampments, they don't care about the Jewish community. So don't use us as an excuse to bring in these draconian new laws,” he said.

Gregory also voiced concerns that the new laws might backfire, with some individuals blaming the Jewish community for their introduction.

He stressed that the Jewish community does not feel protected by the government’s actions and warned against further isolating an already vulnerable community.

The AJA, advocating for free speech, is actively involved in a legal case supporting X against the Australian government’s attempts to censor content through its contentious eSafety Commissioner office.

Gregory criticised platforms like Meta for banning footage of news events, which he argued only fuels denialism and misinformation.

He urged caution within the Jewish community, advising against supporting new laws without considering their potential implications.