Andrews and Peris to become patrons of Labor Friends of Israel
'We count them both as among the strongest supporters of the Jewish community and Israel in the Australian Labor Party'
Labor Friends of Israel Australia (LFI) co-convenors Mike Kelly, Eric Roozendaal and Nick Dyrenfurth today announced that former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and former Labor Senator Nova Peris have agreed to serve as the inaugural patrons of the national body.
LFI was formed earlier this year to acknowledge Australian Labor’s long-standing commitment to, and support for, the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in their historic homeland; and the State of Israel.
“We count them both as among the strongest supporters of the Jewish community and Israel in the Australian Labor Party,” Kelly, Roozendaal and Dyrenfurth said.
Daniel Andrews served as the 48th premier of Victoria from 2014 to 2023. He is the longest-serving Labor premier and the fourth longest serving premier in Victorian history.
During his time as Premier of Victoria, he was a strong supporter of Israel, an opponent of antisemitism and oversaw security upgrades for Jewish schools and places of worship. He also adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism and banned the public display of Nazi symbols.
In December 2017, he visited Israel on a trade mission and opened a Victorian Government Trade and Investment office in Tel Aviv.
“I have always supported Israel and the Jewish community. It’s important now more than ever to stand against antisemitism and terrorism, I am proud to work with Nova Peris, an outstanding Australian,” Andrews said.
Peris is a former Australian Senator, a First Nations activist and international athlete. As part of the Australian women’s field hockey (Hockeyroos) team at the 1996 Olympic Games, she was the first Aboriginal Australian to win an Olympic gold medal.
She was elected to the Australian Senate at the September 2013 federal election – becoming Australia’s first Indigenous woman elected to the national parliament. She retired from the Senate in 2016.
In February, she spoke out against pro-Palestine supporters for using Aboriginal flags in protests against Israel. She said she was “saddened” to see the Aboriginal flag being “misappropriated” by pro-Palestine supporters at rallies across the country in recent months.
She has been outspoken in her support for the Australian Jewish community and the State of Israel.
“I am appalled by the rise of antisemitism in Australia and want to ensure the Labor party stays true to its values of respect and equality for all Australians,” she said.
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