The municipal council of Hunters Hill has been praised for adopting a comprehensive local strategy to combat antisemitism, in a move advocates say reflects a growing recognition that local governments must play a frontline role in confronting rising hate.
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) commended the council’s decision, describing it as a “clear and principled” stand at a time when Jewish communities worldwide are facing heightened threats and hostility.
Located in northern Sydney, Hunters Hill is a small but historically significant municipality, one of the oldest in Australia, and home to a diverse and engaged community. Its decision to formally adopt a “Strategy to Combat Antisemitism” signals a shift in how local authorities are approaching what was once seen primarily as a national or federal issue.
According to council documents, the strategy is designed as a structured and proactive framework focusing on prevention, education, and response. It draws on internationally recognized standards, including the widely adopted working definition of antisemitism developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), and aligns with both state and federal legislative frameworks.
The policy emphasizes practical steps: raising awareness, expanding community education, building partnerships with specialist organizations, and coordinating closely with state agencies. It also underscores the unique role of municipalities in addressing social cohesion at the grassroots level, where tensions often surface first and where trust in public institutions is most immediate.
By adopting the strategy, the council sent what supporters describe as an unambiguous message: antisemitism has no place in the community, and protecting the safety, dignity, and rights of Jewish residents is integral to maintaining a resilient and inclusive society.
Councilor Carol Tannous-Sleiman, who helped advance the initiative, framed the policy as a moral and civic obligation. “Our community deserves to feel safe and valued,” she said. “This policy sends a message that hatred has no place in Hunter’s Hill and that council will not stand by while it takes hold.”
The urgency of such measures was underscored during the council meeting by Sheina Gutnick, CAM’s newly appointed Australian public affairs officer. In testimony, she highlighted the growing prevalence of antisemitism across public life, including in schools and online spaces, and called for decisive action at all levels of government.
“This is not complicated,” Gutnick, whose father Reuven Morrison was murdered in the Bondi Beach Hanukkah massacre in December, said. “Either we are clear about what we will not accept or we accept what follows. Hunter’s Hill Council has chosen clarity, and that matters.”
Her remarks reflect a broader global trend. In Australia, antisemitic incidents have surged in the wake of the October 7 attacks, with reports of vandalism, assaults, and threats targeting Jewish individuals and institutions, particularly in Sydney. Similar patterns have been recorded across Europe and North America, reinforcing concerns that antisemitism is becoming increasingly normalized in public discourse.
Against this backdrop, local government initiatives are gaining prominence. Municipalities are seen as uniquely positioned to implement targeted, community-based responses that complement national policies. In New South Wales, several councils have already begun exploring or adopting measures aimed at strengthening social cohesion and combating hate, including education programs and interfaith initiatives.
CAM, a global network that works with governments, civil society, and grassroots actors to counter antisemitism, has made municipal engagement a central pillar of its strategy. By encouraging local authorities to adopt formal frameworks, the organization aims to create a coordinated response that extends beyond national capitals into everyday community life.
Last September, CAM organized the inaugural Australian Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, chaired by Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, where more than 250 local leaders, representing almost 100 councils across Australia, engaged in constructive dialogue and shared practical strategies to address the rising challenge of antisemitism and other forms of hate.
The Hunters Hill decision may therefore serve as a model for other councils, both in Australia and internationally. At a time when antisemitism is increasingly visible—and, in some cases, violent, its significance lies not only in the policy itself, but in the precedent it sets.
Clear standards, defined responsibilities, and proactive engagement at the local level, supporters argue, are essential to ensuring that combating antisemitism is not merely rhetorical, but operational.
In Hunters Hill, at least, that principle has now been put into practice.