The announcement by the Iemma Government that Labor will introduce amendments to the Summary Offences Act completely ignores much-needed measures to protect synagogues from recent attacks.

The announcement by the Iemma Government that Labor will introduce amendments to the Summary Offences Act completely ignores much-needed measures to protect synagogues from recent attacks.

I have written to Labor’s Attorney-General highlighting the need to adopt Coalition policy from the state election that would make the penalty for desecration or vandalism of a synagogue or war memorial equal to the penalty for desecrating an aboriginal site.

During the recent state election I indicated the NSW Coalition would amend the Summary Offences Act to increase the penalties for the desecration of synagogues, shrines and war memorials to match those provided for the decreation of aboriginal sites under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.

Currently under Labor, desecration of these sites carries a maximum penalty of $2,200 under the Summaries Offences Act. Yet desecration of an aboriginal site under the National Parks and Wildlife Act carries a much greater penalty of up to $11,000.

The NSW Coalition believes that penalties for desecrating a war memorial or a synagogue should be the same as penalties for desecrating aboriginal sites.

After the election, I called on Morris Iemma to adopt as many Coalition policies as possible, because that would fix many of the problems being confronted by the people of New South Wales.

This is one of the many examples where Morris Iemma should adopt our policy to improve safety and security for the Jewish community.