Rising hate incidents against Jews in Australia has led David Southwick, Liberal member for Caulfield, to act against rising anti-Semitism on Australian university campuses by calling on Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall to discuss the incidents of hatred with community leaders on Nov. 14, 2011.
David Southwick has been representing the electoral district of Caulfield for the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2010. The district covers a number of suburbs of Melbourne, Australia with a high representation of Jews within some of these suburbs: approximately 50% of residents Jewish in North Caulfield , 40% in Caulfield, and 26% in East St Kilda.
David Southwick said the line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism had become increasingly blurred, citing the “intimidation and bullying tactics” of recent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions protests.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday night, he said, “Data collected by the Anti-Defamation Commission shows regular occurrences of lectures being disrupted by anti-Israel groups, often using violent swastika imagery, and male students have reported having their skullcaps pulled from their heads while being verbally abused.”
Southwick recounted an incident at Melbourne University earlier this year which saw a Jewish student injured by a pro-Palestinian protestor brandishing wire cutters at a Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) celebration.
A graduate of Monash University, Southwick accused university officials of burying their heads in the sand on the issue of violence and intimidation aimed at Jewish students, and he called on Hall to investigate.
“I call on the minister to meet with representatives of the Jewish community to hear these concerns, and to then see what can be done to halt these incredibly concerning developments.”
He has previously condemned recent incidents of crime experienced in the electorate of Caulfield which have been coordinated and racially motivated. There has been a number of anti-Semitic hate speeches painted on benches, posts and areas around Caulfield Park, and a group of religious Jews coming back from their synagogue was egged in a planned attack. This was clearly a planned attack because the perpetrators had balaclavas and had gone out and purchased eggs and had then targeted these individuals.
David Southwick in August of 2011 organized a forum on “BDS and anti-Semitism- the continuing struggle” featuring John Searle, President of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria. Since the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement seeks to de-legitimise and attack Israel by impeding trade, this is an important issue for the Jewish community, supporters of Israel and the small businesses that are affected by the protests.
David completed his High School Certificate at Mount Scopus College and went on to study for a Bachelor of Business at Victoria University. In 1991 he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his service on the University Council and in 1996 he went on to study a Graduate Diploma in Marketing at Monash University.
An entrepreneur, David established a number of businesses including being the founder and managing director of The Body Collection. In this business he employed 50 staff and had a local manufacturing base in Moorabbin. David has also been the director or managing director of The Market Stars Group, ICE Events Pty Ltd and David James Investments Pty Ltd.
David has held various academic positions at RMIT University including the Entrepreneur in Residence, and until recently was the Head of the Executive Education Unit (Faculty of Business and Law) at Victoria University.
David is heavily involved with a number of community organizations. He is the Immediate Past President of the Ardoch Youth Foundation, the Chairman of the National Training Board for Virtual Enterprise Australia and was until recently the Vice President of Try Youth and Community Services and Big Brother, Big Sister. In recognition of his work assisting local youth, David was made the City of Stonington’s Citizen of the Year in 2009.
As a consequence of all his activities, David Southwick received an Honorary Lifetime Service alumni award from Victoria University. He was among seven people to receive the award for services to the university and wider communities on October 19, 2011.
Further Reading:
Jessica Felber: Fighter against Hatred on the Campus of the University of California at Berkeley
Britain joins ten other countries in staying away from ‘Durban III’ anniversary event
Neo-Nazis Organize Music Festival in Australia
