Childcare subsidy changes flagged by Labor; Anthony Albanese condemns Woollahra antisemitism; Luigi Mangione appears in court

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil has defended the prime minister’s handling of antisemitism in Australia, in a call on the Coalition to work with Labor to build cohesion.

O’Neil was joined by Liberal senator Jane Hume on Seven’s Sunrise, where Hume claimed the Jewish community “are looking for leadership on this issue”.

“Sadly, the equivocation of the government, of the prime minister, has emboldened and enabled those that are committing these horrific crimes that are unfair on a really important section of our society and our community, in our Jewish community,” Hume said.

O’Neil replied that she found Hume’s response “a bit disappointing”.

“I just don’t think this is a time for political parties to be playing point-scoring. It’s just not about that,” she said.

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“I think the most important thing that politicians can do at a time like this is not stoke division and not try to play the political parties off against each other but, actually, stay on the same page. We’ve got to work together to make sure we stand strong, united and that’s certainly the work I’m doing.”

Hume said she agreed with O’Neil’s sentiment, but that the Jewish community were asking for more. “Anthony Albanese has prevaricated in the past, and it has emboldened people to commit these crimes,” she said.

“You do you, Jane,” O’Neil quipped in response.

“I’m going to stand here and say we want people to work together to build cohesion in this society, that’s the work I see the prime minister doing and what the Jewish community in south-east Melbourne is doing.”

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