Today, Prime Minister Albanese announced the appointment of a special envoy to combat antisemitism, saying “there is no place for violence or hatred of any kind in Australia.”

The Australian appointment joins an international coalition of special envoys to combat antisemitism in the UK, USA, Canada and numerous European nations including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden and others*.

Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chair, Deborah Hart said, there is no place for violence or hatred of any kind in New Zealand and yet we have witnessed an exponential rise in antisemitism in the months since October 7th.”

Ms Hart said, “It is time that, like many countries around the world, New Zealand gets serious about battling the world’s oldest hatred – antisemitism. We call on the government to appoint a special envoy to combat antisemitism and work with envoys internationally to rout out this scourge in Aotearoa New Zealand”.

In June this year the Centre surveyed Jewish parents of school-aged children. A staggering 80% of respondents said their children had suffered antisemitic episodes in their schools. This was an increase in the survey results last year when just over 50% of the parents who completed the survey said their children had been subjected to antisemitism in school since October 7th 2023. The age range of children affected was 9 -18 years of age.

“The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand has been dealing with an influx of complaints about antisemitism in schools. Usually we might deal with two complaints a year. We are dealing with that amount on a weekly basis.”

President of the New Zealand Jewish Council, Juliet Moses said, “antisemitism is rife with Jewish institutions and individuals targeted.”

Ms Moses commented, “No matter what is going on internationally or politically, all people should be safe in New Zealand, including Jewish people.“

The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand and the New Zealand Jewish Council are calling for the government to appoint an envoy to combat antisemitism, joining those nations who are already confronting the threat of antisemitism.

*Special Envoys and Coordinators Combatting Antisemitism.

Chryssoula ALIFERI

Ambassador, Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Combatting Anti-Semitism and for the Protection of Holocaust Remembrance, Greece

Andrew BAKER

Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism

Luiz BARREIROS

Head of Delegation to IHRA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Portugal

Delphine BORIONE

Ambassador at Large for Human Rights responsible for inter-national issues relating to the Holocaust, looted property and remembrance, France

Michal COTLER-WUNSH

Israel’s Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism

Arvydas DAUNORAVIČIUS

Lithuania’s Ambassador-at-Large for the Holocaust remembrance issues

Irena DIMITROVA

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and National Coordinator on combating antisemitism

David FERNANDEZ PUYANA

Ambassador, Permanent Observer of the UN University for Peace to the UN Office & intl. organizations in Geneva & Permanent Delegate of UPEACE to UNESCO

Simon GEISSBÜHLER

Ambassador, Head of Peace and Human Rights Division,

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland

Alexandre GUESSEL

Special Representative of the Secretary General on antisemitic, anti-Muslim and other forms of religious intolerance and hate crimes, Council of Europe

Michel HEINTZ

Interministerial Delegate in charge of the coordination of policies to combat racism, anti-Semitism and anti-LGBTIQ+ hatred, Luxembourg

Felix KLEIN

Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism

Olivier KLEIN

Former Minister, French national Delegate against racism, antisemitism and LGBTI-phobia

Robert KLINKE

Ambassador, Special Representative for Relations with Jewish Organisations, Issues relating to Antisemitism, International Sinti and Roma Affairs, Holocaust Remembrance

Deborah LIPSTADT

Ambassador, US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism

Maria Fabiana LOGUZZO

Ambassador, Argentina’s Special Representative for the fight against Antisemitism and Head of Delegation to IHRA

Fernando K. LOTTENBERG

Commissioner to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Organization of American States

Sara LUSTIG

Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Croatia for Holocaust Issues and Combating Antisemitism

Øystein LYNGROTH

Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief, and head of the IHRA delegation, Norway

Deborah LYONS

Ambassador, Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism

Lord John MANN

UK Government Advisor on Antisemitism

Antonio MARTINO

Director, Department for Fostering Austrian-Jewish Cultural Heritage and Combating Antisemitism, Federal Chancellery, Austria

Bogdan MAZURU

Ambassador, Special Representative of the Government of Romania for the remembrance policies and for the fight against antisemitism and xenophobia

Ulf MELGAARD

Director, International law and Human rights, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark

Jaime MORENO

Coordinator of the Spanish National Plan against Antisemitism and Head of Delegation to IHRA

Giuseppe PECORARO

Italian Coordinator on Combating antisemitism, Italian Government

Rt Hon the Lord Eric PICKLES

UK Special Envoy on Post Holocaust Issues

Robert ŘEHÁK

Czech Republic’s Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, Interfaith Dialogue and FoRB

Ringo RINGVEE

Estonia’s National coordinator of measures against anti-Semitism

Jillian SEGAL AO

Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Australia

Vince SZALAY-BOBROVNICZKY

Deputy State Secretary, Civil and Social Affairs. Prime Minister’s Office, Hungary

Ulrika SUNDBERG

Special Envoy to the OIC, Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue of Sweden

Eddo VERDONER

National Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism, The Netherlands

Katharina VON SCHNURBEIN

European Commission Coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life

© Scoop Media