ASIO ordered to protect Jewish, Muslim schools Matthew Franklin and Siobhain Ryan January 11, 2008 09:25am "Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported yesterday that tensions were so high that white supremacist groups had planned a rally at the proposed site of the school on Australia Day." TAXPAYERS are to spend $20 million on high-technology security measures to protect Jewish, Muslim and other schools at risk of hate-based attacks. The Rudd Government plans to order ASIO and the Australian Federal Police to assess risks at all of the nation's schools to identify those with special security needs, according to a report in today's The Australian.
Education Minister Julia Gillard confirmed the plan yesterday as Jewish and Islamic community spokesmen said they would welcome help with security measures such as cameras and 24-hour patrols, bollards to restrict vehicle access and shatter-proof glass. - source
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Ms Gillard, who is also Acting Prime Minister, said at-risk schools spent large amounts of money providing their own security at the expense of their teaching budgets.
Labor would assume responsibility for the costs of schools assessed as being at risk.
"The Rudd Government believes the resources invested in the provision of a quality education should not be diluted by onerous security needs," Ms Gillard said through a spokeswoman.
"Priority will be given to existing schools with an already established or identified security need, but all applications will be assessed on the basis of an objective security assessment."
Confirmation of the move follows unrest in the NSW town of Camden, on Sydney's south-western outskirts, which has been the scene of angry protests by locals over a plan to establish an Islamic school.
Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported yesterday that tensions were so high that white supremacist groups had planned a rally at the proposed site of the school on Australia Day.
The Howard Government had offered the Jewish community tax deductibility for security spending on schools and other community buildings such as synagogues.
During the election campaign, Labor matched the commitment but also proposed its school grants to apply to all schools.
Labor's election policy, published ahead of November's election, committed a Rudd government to guaranteeing the right of all children to safe school environments, regardless of the type of school they attend.
"In recent times, there have been examples of public and private, religious and secular schools facing particular risk," says the party's policy document.
"Federal Labor is aware that Australia's Jewish schools, as well as a range of other at-risk religious, ethnic and secular schools, are forced to maintain often elaborate and costly security measures to guarantee the safety of their students."
The cost of security could act as "a significant drain" on the ability of schools to provide quality teaching.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Robert Goot said the government measures should help pay for the hefty security bills triggered by frequent threats against the Jewish community.
"It's costing a lot of money. Across Australia, it's many millions of dollars annually," he said.
Jewish schools already regularly checked school buses for bombs, and many needed extra measures, from boom gates and retractable bollards to 24-hour CCTV surveillance and security guards, to ensure their students' safety, he said.
"We're retro-fitting buildings with specially designed glass, which is shatter-proof, that doesn't become a missile," Mr Goot said.
He said the community had longstanding contact with state and federal police agencies about their security needs, which extended beyond schools.
"You've got synagogues, you've got communal facilities, you've got aged homes and hospitals," he said.
"You would have the whole range of institutions that you find in any community, that are a target to agreater or lesser extent."
Steve Rothman, the chairman of the co-ordinating committee of Jewish State Schools, said heightened security had already helped to prevent attacks.
"There have been incidents in the past that, because of surveillance, we have been able to nip in the bud," he said.
Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Ikebal Patel said he hoped Islamic schools in Australia would also receive assistance.
"There's certainly a need for security at our schools, and especially so during times at heightened tension - if there's something happening outside Australia, or in Australia - and we feel that there is a need for extra vigilance for the safety of our children," he said.
Mr Patel, whose federation runs five Islamic schools, said he would like to see security officers at the front gates, at drop-off points or exposed play areas "so we don't have any harassment of our children".
But the minimal fees charged by the schools meant they had not been able to afford the extra security up until now.
"Obviously, it's one of those things we have certainly considered we need to employ but because of the fairly tight budgets and the cost implications, we have not done anything," Mr Patel said.
- The Australian
Additional reporting: Sanna Trad
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