Maybe it’s a case of keeping your friends close, but your enemies closer, or do some of Albanese’s recent dinner companions reveal why he has narrowed his stance on human rights and embraced the big end of mining-town, or of Perth, to be exact? Jommy Tee and Kim Wingerei.
During the most tumultuous fortnightly parliamentary sitting of the year – the last week of May and the first week of June – dominated by the debates about the Israel/Palestine armed conflict, the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, clandestinely sought the counsel of prominent Australian zionists, Mark and Jeremy Leibler.
Freedom of information (FOI) documents confirm that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) contacted the Leiblers through their law firm, Arnold Bloch Leibler, on 29 May, inviting them to come to a dinner at the Lodge the following week on June 4.
A separate FOI request confirmed the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet provided no briefing for the dinner, and there was no email traffic between the department and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The Leiblers and the respective lobby associations they are affiliated with – the Australian Israel Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) and the Zionist Federation of Australia – are vociferous opponents of the Greens’ stance on Palestine, and of everybody else who dares to speak out against Israel and it’s gruesome and relentless attacks on Palestinian civilians.
MWM has previously highlighted the deep connections between the Israel lobby and various political players and its direct access to political power and leaders.
Israel, Gaza and Australian politics: master lobbyist Mark Leibler reveals how power really works
The first documented contact between the PMO and the Leiblers ABL occurred on May 29. Two days prior to the contact, additional security patrols were ordered for Albanese’s Marrickville electorate office. Three additional security drive-bys per day were organised across the period from May 28 through to June 10. The patrols were asked to take note of any protest activity, damage and graffiti and report back via text messages.
Parliamentary debate on Palestine
On May 28, the Greens gave notice seeking to introduce a procedural motion for the following day into the House of Representatives to recognise a Palestinian state. The motion to suspend standing orders to debate the Greens’ was defeated 80-5 the next day (May 29).
Despite the motion being voted down, all of the prolonged activism against the Israeli state-endorsed genocide and accusations that Labor was indifferent to the Palestinian genocide and soft in criticising Israel probably got under Albanese’s skin.
Time to call in some reinforcements over dinner. On the evening of May 29, the PMO made contact with the Leiblers’ law firm to arrange the dinner.
On June 3, one of the additional afternoon security patrols scheduled for Albanese’s electorate office reported back that police were in attendance at the office, and the patrol found graffiti at the exterior of the building. The next day the disruption by protesters to some Labor MPs’ offices and the frustration it was causing for MPs and their staff was discussed at the Labor caucus meeting. This generated much media copy that afternoon and the next morning.
Naturally, the Prime Minister is entitled to sup with whomever he desires. Nonetheless, the breaking of bread with two of Australia’s most powerful pro-Israel supporters during a particularly bitter parliamentary fortnight where Israel/Palestinian positions were discussed with acrimony does raise perceptions of privileged access.
Condemning Hamas but not the IDF
Prior to becoming PM, Albanese was on the record for strong support for the Palestinian cause, using his platform in Parliament to make pro-Palestinian speeches. He also attended and spoke at protests — including one where other demonstrators burned Israeli flags and tried storming the US consulate, according to archived news stories unearthed by Crikey ($).
In Government, and particularly since the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians, his and Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s stance has changed dramatically. While the International Court of Justice has called out Israel’s retaliation as genocide, Albanese and Wong have done nothing to stand up to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or indeed intervene in Australian companies openly exporting weapons parts and systems to Israel.
Will Albo’s referral to International Criminal Court put the brakes on weapons sales to Israel?
To the contrary, both have been quick to condemn Hamas and call for the release of hostages and the odd tepid call for a ceasefire, while staying silent about the tens of thousands of civilians murdered by the Israel Defence Force (IDF). Just this week, Albanese wasted no time in tweeting about the six hostages found dead, yet not a word about the Israel bombing of a school in the West Bank that left at least people dead the next day.
So far, the IDF has bombed 564, or 85%, of all schools in Gaza, according to Wikipedia, killing thousands of children, with nary a word of reproach from Albanese or Wong.
Dining with Perth glitterati
It’s not just Albanese’s stance on Palestine that seems to have changed since his ascension to the prime ministership. While the Government has committed to ‘Net Zero’, its lack of real action has left much to be desired. Little has been done to curb coal mining and burning, promotion of electric vehicle sales has been timid in the face of the opposition’s predictable “killing the ute” scare tactics, and we continue to export our emissions to the rest of the world via a natural gas market that favours exporters and keeps prices high for Australians.
Ironically, the Western Australian government is the only one of the states that protects domestic gas supply, but we doubt this was on the agenda when Albanese was the ‘guest of honour’ at a luxurious dinner hosted by Mineral Resources chief Chris Ellison at his Osborne Park HQ, according to a report in the AFR ($).
The high-powered crowd included former State Premier Mark McGowan, who is on Ellison’s and BHP’s payroll as an advisor, in addition to working with former treasurer Joe Hockey’s Bondi Partners. Major political donor Woodside’s CEO, Meg O’Neill, was also at the tables.
Paying for the Prime Minister’s time is normal practice, and the following day, some of the same crowd was at another Perth dinner, paying $2,000 each for the privilege.
From takeaways to five-star dining, Albanese has come a long way from a Sydney inner west council house. He has worked hard and ended up in the top job in the land through intellect, dedication and the ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Having achieved it, the question remains if his principles and beliefs remain. Once at the pinnacle, will he continue to advocate for real change or tinker around the edges of policies and spending as he seems to have done so far?
Will his desire to win the next election be his downfall, courting the rich and powerful more than his electoral base?
Or maybe that’s the only way…
Give, and thou shalt receive. Million dollar links between donors and environmental approvals
Jommy Tee is a long-time career public servant, having worked in the policy development field for 25+ years as well as an independent researcher interested in politics, current affairs, and Nordic noir.
Kim Wingerei is a businessman turned writer and commentator. He is passionate about free speech, human rights, democracy and the politics of change. Originally from Norway, Kim has lived in Australia for 30 years. Author of ‘Why Democracy is Broken – A Blueprint for Change’.