Minister O’Neil: ‘Menacing’ protests tearing at Australia’s social cohesion

 Protests about the Israel-Hamas war are damaging social cohesion in Australia, warned Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil during a major speech at The Australian National University (ANU).

The remarks came during an event exploring challenges to Australia’s democracy and elections hosted by the ANU National Security College in conjunction with the Australian Electoral Commission and International IDEA.

Minister O’Neil said the right to protest is a “basic right of any Australian”.

“But when we see protests that engage in violence, which alienate vulnerable members of our society from services and representation, we have to push back,” Minister O’Neil said.

“Protest cannot be a blank cheque for behaviour which threatens the cohesion of our society.

“It is important for us all to understand what is at stake here. It is nothing less than the social fabric of our community, and the success and future of one of the strongest and oldest democracies in the world.

“What lies at the heart of these two critical things – our community, and our democracy – is mutual respect, and civility.

“Once lost, these things are hard to regain.”

In her speech, Minister O’Neil highlighted the rise in incidences of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the military response by Israel. She also called out attacks on the offices of fellow Australian politicians.

Minister O’Neil said our engagement with any conflict establishes norms and standards for public debate.

“Peaceful protest is a right in a democracy. I will support it until the day I die,” she said.

“But preventing vulnerable people from accessing government services is not respectful of our fellow citizens. Jamming open the door of the offices of politicians and screaming until the staff have to leave, shaking, is not peaceful protest.

“Painting blood red symbols of terrorism, or leaving childlike fake bodies outside offices, is not properly peaceful protest.

“It is menacing, it is violent, and it is unacceptable.

“We need to remember that the choices we make about how we prosecute our beliefs—they are setting new norms and standards, not just for those who share our views, but also for those who don’t.

“And one day, the shoe will be on the other foot.”

The Minister also highlighted the importance of social cohesion to Australia’s success as a democracy and  multicultural society.

“Tears in our social fabric are starting to normalise fundamentally anti-democratic behaviour,” the Minister said.

“If you are looking for success stories of incredible social cohesion in Australia—there are dozens in every suburban street and hundreds in every suburban school dotted around my electorate.

“This sort of social cohesion is central to the Australian way of life. It underpins our wellbeing, our trust in others, and our confidence in public institutions.

“The more connected Australians feel to their own citizenship, to their own country, and to each other, the safer we will be, and the better our democracy will be.

“But across Australia, our sense of connection and unity is in decline.

“A key indicator has been the increase in Australians reporting experiences of prejudice based on their ethnicity, religion and migrant status in recent years.

“That trend has been intensified in light of the events in Israel and Gaza.”

Social media threatens Australia’s democratic values

In her wide-ranging and riveting speech, Minister O’Neil also warned that new technologies, including social media and generative artificial intelligence, pose a major risk to Australia’s democracy and have the potential to weaken free and fair elections.

Minister O’Neil said while social media became popular in an “age of technological utopianism”, it has instead driven “polarisation, and the binary entrenchment of views and values”.

“Social media has degraded our democracy and divided us at a time when we need to be united,” she said.

“It’s no chance that the recent rise of populism across the world has correlated with the introduction of social media.

“What’s worrying is that the damage we have seen so far is probably the tip of the iceberg and there’s no indication of things changing.

“Generative AI technology promises unprecedented productivity and scientific breakthroughs. “It also threatens, via social media, the proliferation of more voluminous, more targeted, and more believable harmful content.”

Read Minister O’Neil’s full speech at the ANU National Security College.