Tag: Michael Barnett

Jillian Segal and Advance

On July 12 and 13 The Klaxon broke news that John Roth, the husband of Australia’s Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal, donated $50,000 to Advance:

In the July 18 2025 ECAJ Weekly Update Daniel Aghion wrote the following of Jillian Segal:

This past week, we have seen a smear campaign attacking the Special Envoy’s Plan to Combat Antisemitism, soon after its launch last week.  

This concerted campaign has focused on just a couple of details in a wide-ranging programme of 49 key actions in 13 focus areas, and (most outrageously) attacked the Antisemitism Envoy herself personally, for her husband’s private political activity.  

I am not going to discuss the personal attacks on the Antisemitism Envoy herself – other than to say it is the lowest form of smear tactics – because they are irrelevant to the merits of her plan.  

Amongst the range of marginalised groups that Advance copiously hates on are LGBTIQA+ people. With pathological obsession, they have posted multitudes of negative articles over many years demonising us.

Hearing that Australia’s Antisemitism Envoy is unprepared to call out such bigotry is beyond comprehension. She would realise homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are as insidious as antisemitism. It beggars belief that a person appointed by the government to combat hate and intolerance does not know what all forms of hate and intolerance look like.

Australian Jewish News – July 25 2025 – Page 18 – Letters
Unforgivable
THE Friday after news broke that
Jillian Segal's husband's family
trust donated $50,000 to the far
right lobby group Advance, ECAJ
president Daniel Aghion claimed
criticism levelled at her for her hus-
band's donation was "outrageous"
and a "smear tactic"
It's not without precedent that
public figures have been called out
for their spouse's actions, such as
when Senator James Paterson held
Monique Ryan accountable for her
husband's removal of a sign in the
recent federal election. Rightly or
wrongly, Ryan took the fall for her
husband's indiscretion and apol-
ogised.
The nature of the role of the
antisemitism envoy is to combat
racism and hatred. For that person
to remain silent on a significant
donation by her spouse to an outfit
that has racism and hate in its DNA
beggars belief, and to my thinking
amounts to tacit endorsement. She
does not need to apologise for her
husband, but to remain silent on
who he donated to is unforgivable.
Michael Barnett
Ashwood, Vic

Australian Jewish News – August 1 2025 – Page 17 – Letters
Defending Advance
MICHAEL Barnett (A/N 25/07)
fulminates about antisemitism
envoy Jillian Segal's husband
making a donation to Advance
Australia. Advance is anything but
a "far right lobby group". The
Jewish community has much to be
thankful for to Advance. For start-
ers they were instrumental in pre
venting the virulently antisemitic
Greens from achieving a danger-
ous foothold in the last election.
As for Barnett's claim that
Advance is filled with "racism
and hate", he would be good
to remember that the work of
Advance in helping to defeat the
Voice referendum saved Australia
from a dangerously racially divi
sive situation from evolving. Any
organisation, like Advance, which
espouses conservative ideals and
fights against the destruction of
the values of Western civilisation is
labelled by Barnett and those of his
ilk as "far-right" by default.
The Jewish community has
come to realise in recent times that
the left are not our friends, but in
Barnett's case the message seems
to be taking somewhat longer to
sink in.
Robert Weil
Highett, Vic

Not the same
IT is not helpful when progressive
activists such as Michael Barnett
spout reflexive hysterical hyperbole
for political gain rather than care-
fully analysing a situation
His comparison of Jillian Segal's
husband's donation to lobby
group Advance with the actions
of Monique Ryan's husband is
just wild fantasy. Any student of
critical thinking could easily see
that Segal's husband John Roth
donated the money in his own
right, and which had nothing to
do with his wife's work.
On the other hand, the removal
of promotional signs by Monique
Ryan's husband was active inter.
ference on behalf of her campaign
with the express purpose of giving
her an electoral advantage
Alan Freedman
St Kilda East. Vic

In the face of hate, I’m embracing my gay Jewish identity | The Jewish Independent

A few thoughts about recent parallel homophobic and antisemitic attacks in Melbourne, and how queer activism in the Jewish community over the past few decades has been transformational.

In the face of hate, I’m embracing my gay Jewish identity | The Jewish Independent

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-jewish-independent_antisemitism-lgbtq-pride-activity-7358680297502093314-VUWv

AJN Letters: Funding alert

Aleph Melbourne is committed to both the welfare of LGBTIQA+ people and combatting antisemitism in Melbourne’s Jewish Community.

On discovering J United’s decision to fund a campaign with money from Advance (“Jewish-led anti-Greens campaign launches“; AJN Jan 30 2025), the latter an organisation that strongly campaigns against transgender rights, Aleph Melbourne co-convenor Michael Barnett responded with a letter to the editor.

Funding alert

It alarms me that J United has resorted to taking money from conservative lobby group Advance, which has campaigned hard against LGBTIQA+, Indigenous and other progressive causes for many years. History has taught us that people who are intolerant of diversity tend to be intolerant of Jews too. When a Jewish organisation takes money and in-kind support from Advance, they are inadvertently harming other vulnerable minorities in the pursuit of eradicating antisemitism.

I can’t say whether Advance genuinely care about Jews and antisemitism, however I am confident their motivation is not rooted in benevolence. They are a hardline outfit that promotes division and intolerance. I call on the Jewish community to fundraise from reputable sources.

Michael Barnett
Ashwood, Vic

AJN Letters to the Editor; February 14 2025

Aleph Melbourne will continue to stand up for the rights, visibility and inclusion of all LGBTIQ+ people, both in the Jewish community and beyond it.

UPDATE: March 12 2025

Two responses to this letter were published in the Australian Jewish News (“Defending Advance” by Michael Burd; Feb 21 2025 and “Straightforward” by Dan Coleman; Feb 28 2025):

AJN: A moment of solidarity, hope and optimism

Love in the air

A moment of solidarity, hope and optimism

‘It brings tears of happiness to my eyes, knowing that we’ve done something good, challenging tired and outdated attitudes that fester in the darkness’

By Michael Barnett
February 7, 2025, 1:52 pm

The Jews of Pride at the Midsumma march in 2024. Photo: Peter Haskin

Sunday, February, 2 2025 was the 30th anniversary of Melbourne’s Pride March, now part of the Midsumma Festival. There has been a continuous Jewish presence in Pride March since at least 1997, more prominently since the formation of Jews of Pride in 2018.

Despite a forecast maximum of 38 degrees, for a second year in a row, we turned out in numbers to show our support for LGBTIQA+ diversity.

We saw the return of Jewish Care and the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJWA) to our ranks, along with first time appearances for Maccabi Victoria, Shira Melbourne, Meretz Australia and Etz Chayim Progressive Synagogue.

Stalwart groups Aleph Melbourne, Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria, Temple Beth Israel, Pathways Melbourne, Netzer, SKIF, Habo, Hashomer Hatzair, Zionism Victoria, the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA), Melbourne Holocaust Museum, Kehilat Kolenu, the Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) and the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) all had a strong presence, in person or in kind.

Special mention to Jewish politicians David Southwick and Josh Burns, both who supported Jews of Pride for a second year with a joint statement of support, whilst Josh dropped in to visit SKIF and David marched with us.

Notably, it was wonderful to have Philip Zajac join us for the first time, setting the record for the first sitting president of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria to join Jews of Pride.

A key ingredient of the contingent is the sound truck, blasting Jewish music down the street.  Yiddish favourite Chiribim Chiribom made a cameo appearance in the mix, to return more prominently next year, whilst Hava Nagila, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, Od Lo Ahavti Dai and contemporary Israeli songs brought the crowds to life and smiles to everyone’s faces.

After the parade someone said to me, “I wonder if we’ve been gaslighting ourselves. The people on the sidelines actually loved us,” to which I responded by saying that “yes, they do, this is St Kilda, and yes, a lot of people do love Jews, despite the scourge of antisemitism we find ourselves in right now”.

Together with Colin Krycer, we spend months planning Jews of Pride, to bring a moment of solidarity, hope and optimism for the Jewish community, to be publicly and safely Jewish, standing up for the rights, inclusion and celebration of LGBTIQA+ people and families. We bring together different ways of being Jewish, in our politics, practices and backgrounds, yet we come together as one, with shared purpose.

As I reflect on the successes of our previous years, and look at the growing number of groups joining us, I feel a sense of achievement. It also brings tears of happiness to my eyes, knowing that we’ve done something good, challenging tired and outdated attitudes that fester in the darkness.

This year was different for me, in a special way. In 2006 Aleph Melbourne combined with Lebanese and Arab gay men in Pride March. That was one of my proudest moments of all the years I’ve attended Pride March, showing how we can do things better. At the end of this year’s parade, as I walked back to the Jews of Pride truck with our shiny new placards, flags and a set of fresh memories, I happened past the Queer Arabs Australia truck parked nearby, their group still dancing to wildly wonderful Middle Eastern Music.

There was definitely love in the air, such is the spirit of day.  Shvitzing and sore, I stopped for a moment, found their leader, Bas, and introduced myself. He extended a welcome with a hug and refreshing drink from his esky. I told him of what happened in 2006, and how that made me feel. I felt a sense of connectedness, two people from different communities, but with much in common. We talked of how there might be a way we can start a dialogue, and see if something positive can come from that. I believe that even on the welcoming streets of St Kilda, at a pride march, queer Jews and Arabs can come together, in love and in hope, and help create a better future for all of us.

Lastly, a special mention goes to my husband Gregory Storer who did so much for the day, including designing a special security camera for the truck to help keep us safe, and also to Sammy Belleli who enthusiastically helped bring the truck to life.

Jews of Pride will return in 2026, renewed, refreshed, standing up for decency and for our community.

Michael Barnett is co-convenor of Aleph Melbourne.

Midsumma Pride MarchA moment of solidarity, hope and optismism
“A moment of solidarity, hope and optimism” (Australian Jewish News – February 21 2025)

Life is a Disco: The Aleph interviews

On the afternoon of October 7 Susie Danziger and I arrived at the JOY studios in St Kilda to record interviews with Demetra Giannakopoulos for her show Life is a Disco.

We spent a good couple of hours in the studio at the back overlooking the huge peppercorn tree. The tree captivated me because it was full of birdlife, most notably a wattlebird and a currawong.

Demetra was a delight. She asked the most thoughtful questions and was congenial, sensitive and refreshing. We were at ease, and our conversation happened naturally.

I went first, Susie followed. We gave the JOY audience our all.

Following the interview I dropped Susie home and we went on with our day.

It was only a matter of hours later that the terrorist organisation Hamas perpetrated an unforgivable able act of evil upon innocent people in Israel.

Our interviews were edited and they aired over the subsequent two weeks.

The world had changed yet again. War had broken out.

It was very challenging, knowing that we had recorded interviews before the terrorist attack, with them going to air afterwards. It’s hard to say if we would have even done the interviews after October 7, just because of the way everything panned out.

Despite that, it was a privilege being part of Demetra’s show and having the opportunity to tell our stories.

Enjoy.

Interview with Michael Barnett OAM, Co-convenor of ALEPH Melbourne

Interview with Susie, Jewish mother of a trans son
Interview with Susie, Jewish mother of a trans son

David Southwick supports Safe Schools program (May 17 2023)

SAFE SCHOOLS

17 May 2023 Motions David Southwick (LIB)

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (14:54): I rise to make some comments on the motion before the house today:

That this house affirms its support for the Safe Schools program and acknowledges that it critically:

(1) supports the well-being of all young people; and

(2) provides valuable resources and support for teachers to foster an inclusive learning environment where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

I think we would all agree that every single child should feel safe. It is the right of every child to feel safe and there is an obligation on all of us to provide a safe environment for these kids.

Today is IDAHOBIT, which is a day against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and it is appropriate for us to be talking about this as part of the very important element of what many of our young children, particularly those from an LGBTQI+ background, experience at school and what we need to do to ensure that they have a safe environment. Can I say to every LGBTIQ+ Victorian: you are worthy, you are accepted, you are loved, and you and your kids deserve nothing less than to be embraced by all, including the schools, teachers, friends and communities. We must embrace, support and provide every single opportunity for every child no matter who they are, no matter where they come from and no matter what background they are also from. That extends more broadly to both their ethnic background and their faith, and it is something that I have raised on many occasions, as you know, Speaker, particularly in my community where we have unfortunately an increase in antisemitism and we have seen kids targeted at schools because of their faith background as well.

On this motion I wanted at the outset to just raise a few people in terms of their being staunch advocates in this space, particularly Michael Barnett from Aleph. Michael has been a staunch supporter and has been able to work with and support many of the schools. Very early on he worked with Bialik College and King David, just to name a few, and Mount Scopus has been involved in that, in terms of Jewish schools, but we also have a number of other schools that have been involved in terms of being able to provide a safe environment. There is no question that non-heterosexual Australians experience anxiety at 2½ times the rate of heterosexual people. For depression, the figure is four times the rate of heterosexual people. One in six LGBTIQ+ people have attempted suicide and one-third have harmed themselves. They are alarming figures and say that we must do more to support those who do not feel that they belong and those who feel that it is tough just to be able to get on with their daily lives. We have seen that in many instances. We have seen with organisations like Beyond Blue that 61 per cent of young non-heterosexual people have reported experiencing verbal abuse and 80 per cent have reported physical abuse. We have seen another study that showed 33 per cent of trans people reported discrimination in employment as a result of being trans and the unemployment rate of 19 per cent was more than three times that of the national rate.

We have a great state. Victoria is a state that should be embracing everybody no matter who you are, no matter where you come from. We should not be using politics as a way to fight against things like this. We should be coming together and working in ways to actually help people. I have got to say that certainly during question time today I did not feel that that was doing anything to help anybody, particularly those from the LGBTIQ+ community. I know many from our party, the Liberal Party, the Pride branch which is the fastest growing branch in our Liberal Party, of which I am proud to be a member, would feel pretty alarmed about the way that Labor members attacked the Liberal Party today because that does nothing. That does nothing to try and help people belong. The LGBTIQ+ community should not be used as a political football. We should not be using people and targeting them in that way. We should be talking across the chamber about how we do more. We should absolutely do that.

I am very proud that the Leader of the Opposition the member for Hawthorn, the Manager of Opposition Business the member for Brighton, the leader in the upper house Georgie Crozier and a number of others went to the Pride March not only on this occasion but on a number of occasions and stood side by side with the LGBTIQ+ community. We will continue to do so, whether it is popular or whether it is not popular. We will do it because we care, and we will do it because we do not want this to be seen as a political football. So I say, and I implore those opposite: let us look at how we can work together. Let us look at how we can come together on these things.

Belinda Wilson interjected.

David SOUTHWICK: Well, again I say – and I am trying to do this as calmly and as fairly as I possibly can – that ultimately this is not something that we should be trying to score cheap political points out of. It is something that we should be working together on. And that is where I very proudly stand alongside many of those within my party, as I said, including the Liberal Pride branch, who have been absolutely actively providing a very inclusive part of our party so people can feel welcome and so people can feel supported. And if those opposite did not hear me the first time, it is the fastest growing branch we have within our party. So it is certainly something that we celebrate.

Can I also just move on to some of the schools, particularly, that I want to make mention of today, which do some great work. Unfortunately, only a week or so ago we had a report that our great school, Glen Eira College, had what was labelled a toxic and bullying situation where there were almost 10 social media bullying pages on TikTok and Instagram with students posting –

A member interjected.

David SOUTHWICK: Excuse me – posting cruel memes mocking other students and teachers before flashing identifiable photographs of their targets. Can I say the school takes these things very seriously, and I rang the principal as soon as I was made aware of this and was comforted to know that they were acting immediately on this to ensure that kids feel safe – immediately – and so they should. Looking at Glen Eira College’s Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy, one of the things that I think is very important is, within this policy, it talks about all kids feeling safe, whether they be from different backgrounds, whether they be students with disabilities or whether they be from the LGBTIQ+ background. It says this, and I note:

Every person involved in our school has an important role in promoting child safety and wellbeing and promptly raising any issues or concerns about a child’s safety.

That is where we need to be. It is something that we all need to work together on. Whether you are at the school, whether you are a parent at the school or whether you are part of the broader school community, everyone needs to work together to ensure that they feel safe. If you see something wrong, you need to tell somebody. We certainly saw that in a number of inquiries that we had here in this Parliament. We led the way in terms of that in the child safety area, particularly in the child abuse work that was done here in this Parliament, and I think that is something that we must continue to do to ensure that we have kids that feel safe.

At the moment we have issues that are still before the courts. I will not make comment on specific details regarding Brighton Secondary College, but it was absolutely appalling that we had a number of kids that were targeted – a number of kids that saw over that time, because they have Jewish backgrounds, antisemitic attacks. The government has spent literally millions of dollars of taxpayers money trying to defend the school, and these poor kids have again had to endure a horrific time at the school. It has been appalling the way those kids have been treated, and I hope that the government ensures that there are systems in place and that kids of all backgrounds are safe, because that is what kids need and expect.

Hansard PDF from page 65:

Legislative_Assembly_2023-05-17

[PDF]

Aleph co-convenor recognised | AJN

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Aleph co-convenor recognised

Krycer has been volunteering with Melbourne’s LGBTIQ+ community for over 35 years, much of this with the Victorian AIDS Council at Thorne Harbour Health.

By MIA GARDINER
March 2, 2023, 12:20 pm 

From left: Daniel Bryen (Thorne Harbour Health), Colin Krycer (Aleph Melbourne), Michael Barnett (Aleph Melbourne) Photo: Aleph Melbourne.

Aleph Melbourne has congratulated co-convenor Colin Krycer for being awarded “Volunteer of the Year” at GLOBE Victoria’s Victorian Pride Awards 2022, held last month.

Krycer has been volunteering with Melbourne’s LGBTIQ+ community for over 35 years, much of this with the Victorian AIDS Council at Thorne Harbour Health.

A longstanding volunteer of Thorne Harbour Health since 1987, Krycer has given willingly of his time to assist many LGBTIQA+ organisations including the Pride Foundation, Aleph Melbourne, Melbourne Rainbow Band, Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus, JOY, ALSO Foundation, Positive Attitude, the Melbourne AIDS Memorial Candlelight Vigil and Quilt Project Inc,

Since 2018 Krycer has helped make the Jews of Pride contingent at Pride March a massive success with his sound system and event management talents, making the Jewish community contingent one of the event’s highlights.

Among his involvement with Aleph Melbourne is hosting community Shabbat dinners, Jewish movie events, and heimishe afternoon teas at his house.

Aleph Melbourne at GESAC Summer Pride

Aleph Melbourne attended Summer Pride at GESAC on Saturday February 25, represented by stalwarts Susie Danziger, Colin Krycer and Michael Barnett.

Our inaugural presence at this pride event was warmly welcomed by many Jewish patrons, thrilled to see a Jewish LGBTIQ+ community group spreading a message of inclusion and acceptance.

We felt at right home at GESAC, where diversity and inclusion is part of the DNA of Glen Eira City Council. Mayor Jim Magee and CEO Rebecca McKenzie, together with the entire Glen Eira team and Leisure Centre staff, warmly welcomed us to their home.

Most heartening was seeing so many parents approaching our table and sending messages of support and thanks for attending. Even more wonderful than that was seeing the smiles of delight from the multitudes of children taking the stylish Aleph Melbourne sticker, under the supportive wing of their parents.

Aleph Melbourne’s next community appearance is at In One Voice on Sunday March 19.

Jewish organisations show their support | AJN

JEWS OF PRIDE

Jewish organisations show their support

‘It filled my heart to the brim to see so many amazing people join in, from all areas within the Jewish community.’

By MIA GARDINER
February 10, 2023, 7:36 am 

Jews of Pride at the Pride march in St Kilda. Photo: Peter Haskin

This year the annual Pride march saw a 130-person strong Jews of Pride group make its way down Fitzroy Street.

Some participating organisations in the contingent organised by Aleph Melbourne included; the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) The Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC) and Temple Beth Israel (TBI).

Co-convener of Aleph Melbourne Michael Barnett told The AJN, “It filled my heart to the brim to see so many amazing people join in, from all areas within the Jewish community.

“We had several newcomer organisations to the contingent this year and a variety of first-time attendees from the community,” Barnett added.

Aleph Melbourne’s Colin Krycer set up the sound truck once again, with assistance from Gregory Storer who navigated the truck down the parade route.

Barnett said, “This year the truck was resplendent in stylistic rainbow Magen David wheel covers, and our contingent leaders Susie and Dudi flew massive rainbow Magen David flags to tell the world LGBTIQ+ Jews are worth dancing and prancing down the street for.”

Vice-president of the JCCV Doron Abramovici told The AJN that he was “proud” to join the Jews of Pride continent at the march.

“Once again, Colin Krycer and Michael Barnett OAM did an excellent job in bringing our community together. Our Jewish community has made significant inroads towards LGBTIQ+ inclusion over the last decade, but there is always more we can do to help the LGBTIQ+ community overcome any barriers they may face to fully participate in Jewish life,” he said.

“[I hope] we have continued to share the important message that our community today is more welcoming and inclusive, and leadership takes issues affecting LGBTIQ+ Jews very seriously.”

Australia Day 2023 honours for elder abuse law trailblazer, Indigenous activist and a fossil hunter | The Guardian

Australia Day 2023 honours for elder abuse law trailblazer, Indigenous activist and a fossil hunter

Australia Day honours recipients from left: solicitor Rodney Lewis AM, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria member Leanne Miller AM and Aleph Melbourne co-convener Michael Barnett OAM
Australia Day honours recipients from left: solicitor Rodney Lewis AM, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria member Leanne Miller AM and Aleph Melbourne co-convener Michael Barnett OAM

Other recipients whose work might go under the national radar, but were transformative, include Michael Barnett for service to the LGBTQ+ community, the palaeontologist Lesley Kool, and Leanne Miller for “significant service to women’s affairs, and to the Indigenous community”.

Barnett, a co-convener of Aleph Melbourne, said he worried about suicide rates and mental health issues in vulnerable young people, because of “relentless and pointless homophobic and transphobic intolerance”.

He worked hard to turn things around in one specific community.

“Over the years of my advocacy and activism I have seen Melbourne’s Jewish community become a beacon of LGBTIQ+ inclusion,” he said.

Australia Day 2023 honours for elder abuse law trailblazer, Indigenous activist and a fossil hunter