Shoebridge apologises for Toben invitation
NSW GREENS MP David Shoebridge has apologised after it was revealed a staffer in his office invited Holocaust denier Fredrick Toben to a pro-Palestinian harbour cruise fundraiser held in May.
NSW GREENS MP David Shoebridge has apologised after it was revealed a staffer in his office invited Holocaust denier Fredrick Toben to a pro-Palestinian harbour cruise fundraiser held in May.
Last Thursday, The Australian revealed that Shoebridge, co-chair of the NSW Parliamentary Friends of Palestine, was forced to rescind the invitation after becoming aware of Toben’s controversial views and criminal conviction for racial vilification. The revelations attracted widespread condemnation, including from within The Greens party.
Federal Greens leader Senator Christine Milne said “the invitation should never have occurred in the first place”, while NSW lead Senate candidate Cate Faehrmann apologised to the Jewish community “unreservedly” for the hurt caused.
During a speech in the Legislative Council last Thursday, Shoebridge said a broadcast email about the event had been inadvertently sent to Toben, but stopped short of apologising. On Tuesday, after being contacted by The AJN, Shoebridge said: “We apologise for any hurt or offence caused by this lapse of concentration.”
He also clarified an email exchange between staffer Mark Riboldi and Toben, in which Riboldi said he would “definitely not” be bowing to Jewish pressure. “The initial response made to Toben by a staffer in my office was a rushed two-word email that was clearly sent in error without properly considering the original email,” he said.
“Mistakes do happen in a busy office. It does not express my views, or the views of the staffer, and should never have been sent.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry executive director Peter Wertheim welcomed Shoebridge’s apology, but said it was “somewhat puzzling” that it came a week after the apology “made on his behalf by his colleague Cate Faehrmann, who did nothing wrong herself”.
But he said Shoebridge was still avoiding the real issue. “Many of those who claim to be supporting Palestinian rights do so in a way that consistently attracts the enthusiastic support of people with an explicitly racist, anti-Jewish agenda,” he said.
“Politicians in particular, and their staff, have an obligation to be mindful of the true nature and effect of their advocacy.”
But Shoebridge said: “Those of us who advocate for the human rights of the Palestinian people cannot be silenced by the vile and offensive minority views of Holocaust deniers and anti-Semites, which I fundamentally reject.”
Former communications director for Christine Milne, Tim Hollo, who is Jewish, said he hoped “this appalling episode can lead to a positive outcome”.
“The overwhelming majority of Greens have always … distinguished legitimate criticism of Israel’s government and armed forces from anything approaching anti-Semitism,” he said.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of people inside the party and the clear indication is that this event has led to a better understanding of quite how unsavoury some of the people are who hide behind that otherwise legitimate criticism and that can only be a good thing.”
GARETH NARUNSKY
Upper House Greens MP David Shoebridge.
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