In a feat of enterprising delusion and sinister suppression, Queensland’s Liberal-National government has decided to deal with what it regards as an antisemitic problem in its state.

After last December’s attacks on attendees of a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach that left 15 people dead, governments are insisting that a blight has gripped the continent.

Premier David Crisafulli announced on February 8, that he was “delivering strong, decisive action to combat antisemitism [and] address terrorist-motivated offending to make Queensland safer”.

As with other parts of the country, antisemitism has been singled out as the exceptional hatred, so unique as to require singular laws and singular treatment. (Others, such as Islamophobia, do not merit similar attention.) In doing so, lawmakers betray the cardinal principle of laws: keep the subject matter general and avoid the temptation towards exceptionalism.

Despite existing federal laws already targeting protest, prohibited symbols and prohibited organisations, the states are proposing legislation that further stifles speech and lawful assembly.

There is little evidence that Queensland has an antisemitic problem, but the conservative government is sure that its measures are “making Queensland safer after Labor failed to crackdown on antisemitism during their decade of decline”.

Its Fighting Antisemitism and Keeping Guns out of the Hands of Terrorists and Criminals Amendment Bill 2026 (Qld) is being rushed through the review process with just seven days for public submissions.

The prohibitions demonstrate an uneducated approach to Middle Eastern politics and religion; Islamic State is bracketed with Hamas; protestors are not permitted to display the........

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