Two peak Muslim bodies have rejected the Federal Government’s response to the scandal engulfing antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal, formally calling for “proper scrutiny” and an explanation for her “ongoing appointment”.
The Australian National Imams Council and the Alliance of Australians for Muslims said Segal’s position was “questionable, if not untenable” following revelations her family trust was one of the biggest funders of far-right lobby group “Advance”.
“The Alliance of Australians for Muslims (AAM) and the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) are troubled by the revelation that the Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal’s family trust has donated $50,000 to far-right lobby group “Advance” and was its second biggest funder in 2023-24,” they said.
“Advance is a far-right lobby group which has been active in spreading misinformation and attacking people in our society, including hateful material suggesting immigrants in detention are ‘rapists, paedophiles and murderers’.”
Segal has suggested her husband, property developer John Roth, 71, was responsible for directing the $50,000 to Advance last year, and Federal Immigration Minister Tony Burke has claimed linking it to Segal would be “misogynistic” and “outdated”.
The Klaxon’s expose Saturday. Source: The Klaxon
In a joint statement the peak Muslim bodies have rejected Segal’s claims as “disingenuous” and called for “proper scrutiny” from the Federal Government.
“For Ms Segal to dismiss such concerns on the basis that she would not dictate the politics of her husband and did not have any ‘involvement in his donation’, is disingenuous and beside the point,” it states.
“AAM and ANIC call on the government to properly scrutinise the dealings between Ms Segal’s family trust and Advance, and explain the ongoing appointment of Ms Segal” — AAM and ANIC
“Given Ms Segal’s role and her mandate, it behoves her to be transparent and informed about such activities on the part of her direct family members, especially when it is connected with a far-right lobbying group which has issued hateful material.
“AAM and ANIC call on the government to properly scrutinise the dealings between Ms Segal’s family trust and Advance, and explain the ongoing appointment of Ms Segal given the circumstances which have come to light,” it states.
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Tony Bourke, Jillian Segal and Anthony Albanese last Thursday, launching Segal’s 20-page report. Source: AAP Image/ Dan Himbrechts
It follows calls for Segal’s resignation from the Lebanese Muslim Assocation.
“Jillian Segal’s position as Australia’s Antisemitism Envoy is no longer tenable,” Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir said in a statement Sunday.
Speaking the national scandal, an expose by The Klaxon Saturday detailing the $50,000 payments to Advance revealed they came from a family trust of Segal and Roth’s — the “Henroth Discretionary Trust”.
Pressed by media, both Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Immigration Minister Tony Bourke have sought to downplay the scandal, pointing to Ms Segal’s husband.
The statement from the Australian National Imams Council and the Alliance of Australians for Muslims.
Aked about Segal and the $50,000 payment Monday morning, Chalmers dismissed it as “a matter for her”.
“We are taking substantial steps to crack down on this disgraceful escalation in antisemitism that we’re seeing in our society,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“When it comes to donations made by her husband to that organisation, she’s addressed this publicly on the record, and I see that as a matter for her.”
“She’s addressed this publicly on the record, and I see that as a matter for her” — Jim Chalmers
On ABC’s 7.30 on Monday night, asked about The Klaxon’s expose, Bourke admitted that Segal had not disclosed the $50,000 payment before she accepted the role of Antisemitism envoy last year.
Bourke said he had only become aware of the matter through media reports.
The Lebanese Muslim Association called for Segal’s resignation on Sunday. Source: The Klaxon
The $50,000 Advance payment is recorded as being made on June 27 last year, two weeks before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Stegal’s appointment as “Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia” in order to preserve “social cohesion”.
Since the scandal broke on Saturday, Segal has issued a single, two sentence statement, and is refusing to say if she was aware of the payment, or if she approved of it being made.
Segal has also refused to say if she denounces “Advance”, or if she considers material produced by it to be racist.
“Segal is refusing to say if she knew of the Advance payment, or if she approved of it being made”
An Advance social media post last Thursday. Source: Advance/Facebook
Segal has refused to respond to written questions from The Klaxon since Friday. On Sunday she released a vague, two sentence statement, to select media outlets, but not The Klaxon.
She and her office have repeatedly refused to provide that statement to The Klaxon.
This publication has confirmed it is comprised of just two sentences.
“No one wold tolerate or accept my husband dictating my politics, and I certainly won’t dictate his. I have had no involvement in his donation, now will I,” it states.
It does not state whether Segal was aware of the payment, or even if “his donation” refers to the $50,000 Advance payment.
Burke falsely told ABC’s 7.30 on Monday that, regarding the $50,000 Advance payment, Segal had said “she didn’t know about it”.
Unanswered: Questions The Klaxon put to Jillian Segal Friday.
Last week Segal produced a 20-page report last week calling for funding to be cut from universities, charities and cultural bodies if they “enable or fail to act” against “antisemitism”.
“Ms Segal has recently come out to propose wide-ranging and seemingly punitive measures [for instance, funding cuts based on report cards and adherence to a contentious definition of anti-Semitism] in connection with her Government appointed role in combating anti-Semitism,” the AAM and ANIC state.
“Given the mandate of her role and focus on anti-Semitism, it is untenable that her own spouse and family trust have been significant contributors to a far-right wing lobby group which has been active in spreading divisive and hateful rhetoric.
“It makes her appointment questionable, if not untenable,” says the statement.
A social media post by Advance last week. Source: Advance/Facebook
The Lebanese Muslim Association has said that if Sagal “will not resign” then “the government must act”.
“Segal cannot credibly lead efforts against antisemitism while remaining silent about — or benefitting from — the funding of organisations that fuel other forms of racism and bigotry,” said Kheir in the statement.
“If she will not resign, the government must act.
“If she will not resign, the government must act” — Lebanese Muslim Association
“Keeping her in this role sends a clear and dangerous message: that bigotry is only worth confronting when it suits the politics of the day”.
Henroth Discretionary Trust gave Advance $50,000 in 2023-24. Source: AEC
The form disclosing the $50,000 payment by Henroth Discretionary Trust was lodged in the name of Henroth Investments Pty Ltd.
Henroth Investments is the family property development company directed and owned by John Roth, 75, and his brother Stan Roth, 71, who inherited it from their property mogul father Henry Roth.
Segal and Roth were married in around 1980.
More to come…
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Editor, The Klaxon
