Two Jewish MPs from Australia’s major parties have been jointly awarded a prestigious political leadership prize for uniting to oppose anti-Semitism.
The 2024 McKinnon Prize for Political Leadership’s Federal Award, awarded annually by “pro-democracy” non-profit organisation McKinnon and the University of Melbourne, was given to Labor MP Josh Burns and Liberal MP Julian Leeser on Friday.
“The two MPs, from opposite sides of politics, stood together in confronting anti-Semitism during a year marked by global conflict and rising domestic division,” McKinnon said in a statement.
“Their collaboration elevated the issue above party lines, demonstrating that empathy and moral courage can unite rather than divide Australians.”
The State Award was given to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas for “repositioning” his state’s economy “around advanced manufacturing, defence and renewable energy, while addressing cost-of-living pressures, health challenges and housing affordability”.
“He has been widely recognised for his inclusive style, his vision, and his ability to deliver bipartisan reform,” the organisation said.
Wealthy pro-mass immigration independent “teal” MP for Wentworth in Sydney’s east, Allegra Spender, who earlier this year said protest sign “destroy paedo freaks” should be illegal, was given the Emerging Leader Award for her work on tax reform.
McKinnon’s CEO is former NSW Liberal Premier Mike Baird, and the describes itself as “truly independent” and “non-partisan”.
Mr Leeser, who last month said he wanted more Indians living in his Sydney electorate and campaigned for aboriginals to get their own chamber of parliament during the failed Voice referendum, told The Sydney Morning Herald he and Mr Burns has a “relationship of real mutual respect”.
“He’s got such a lovely sense of humour; we get along very well. [We] acknowledge that we happen to be from our different political tribes, but we have things in common,” he said.
Mr Burns, who was supported by his Liberal counterpart after far-left extremists firebombed his Melbourne office, said the pair got along well despite political disagreements on “many topics”.
“We’ve had long and detailed conversations about points over which we fundamentally disagree, and I can leave that conversation liking Julian a little bit more,” he said.
Mr Burns helped spearhead the Albanese Labor government’s strengthened “hate speech” laws along with former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus, who is also Jewish, and pushed for the threshold for “vilification” to be lowered.
He also last year opposed new laws allowing the government to deport criminal refugees.
Header image: Mr Leeser (left) and Mr Burns (right) with their awards (McKinnon).
