Anthony Albanese has faced backlash for spending two hours playing tennis the day after a terror attack at a synagogue in Melbourne – with some calling it his ‘Hawaii moment’.
Photos captured on Saturday at the Cottesloe Tennis Club in Perth show Mr Albanese decked out in full tennis whites, while playing in the sun.
The prime minister has been widely criticised for failing to visit the site of the Adass Israel synagogue attack in Ripponlea after it was gutted by a firebombing, and for taking 48 hours to label it a terrorist event.
The game took place during the same weekend that Mr Albanese’s government was slammed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused Labor of fostering a rise in anti-Semitism in Australia.
Now many Aussies are slamming what they say was an ill-timed moment of leisure – with media personality Neil Mitchell comparing the PM’s tennis game to former prime minister Scott Morrison’s trip to Hawaii during the Black Summer bushfires.
‘Is this ScoMo in Hawaii? Albo could’ve been in Caulfield,’ Mr Mitchell said.
Mr Albanese spoke in defence of the match on Monday: ‘I had six meetings on Saturday, and after they concluded, I did some exercise.
‘That’s what people do. On Saturday morning, I was in a synagogue. I’ve seen some comments in the media about why there wasn’t media coverage there.
Mr Albanese was pictured playing tennis the same weekend he was called out by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Anthony Albanese takes a selfie with Perth local Elizabeth Pell at the tennis club
‘That’s because it was Shabbat and as people can confirm, photos and electronic information wasn’t available then.
‘I attended the bat mitzvah of a young boy there, and I was very much welcomed there.’
Robert Gregory from the Australian Jewish Association said the match was a bad look.
‘It’s terrible optics for the prime minister to be off playing tennis while a synagogue smoulders after it was torched in a terrorist attack,’ Mr Gregory said.
‘Perhaps, his social schedule explains why he was so slow to call this out as terrorism.
‘The prime minister needs to get his priorities right. Social cohesion is crumbling in Australia under his watch.
‘The Jewish community is under attack. This is a moment for leadership. If Albanese doesn’t step up, things are going to get much worse on the streets of Australia.’
Victoria and Australian Federal Police on Monday declared the firebombing was politically motivated and an act of terrorism.
Photographers were granted access to the building on Monday morning, with images showing the burnt-out devastation left inside
Victoria and Australian Federal Police on Monday declared the firebombing was politically motivated and a likely act of terrorism
The investigation will now transition to the Joint Counter Terrorism Team as police continue hunting three suspects.
The offenders are believed to have torched the building early last Friday morning as worshippers began arriving for morning prayers on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath.
Photographers were granted access to the building on Monday morning, with images showing the burnt-out devastation left inside.
The damage bill of the attack is estimated to be in the millions, with the synagogue almost completely destroyed.
The terror attack took place just days after pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside The Great Synagogue in Sydney on Wednesday night, as members of the Jewish community were holed up inside.
The group shouted ‘Palestine will be free’ and held up a slogan calling for the eradication of the state of Israel.
Sky News reported that when police arrived on the scene, the synagogue was in lockdown with those inside unable to leave.
Last month, celebrity chef Matt Moran’s Chiswick restaurant was vandalised with anti-Israel slurs along with several cars in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra.
Multiple cars were daubed with white spray paint that read ‘f*** Israel’.
The Australian Jewish Association said anti-Semitism had ‘surged’ under Anthony Albanese’s government.
‘Labor has stood by as ugly antisemitic protests have taken over our streets, week after week,’ CEO Robert Gregory said.
‘They have stood by as ‘Free Palestine’ extremists have targeted Jewish Synagogues and schools. There was an antisemitic protest outside Sydney’s Great Synagogue, just this week.
‘Labor has stood by as extremist Islamic preachers have preached toxic antisemitism. They have stood by as Jews were assaulted in the street and our universities were taken over by anti-Jewish radicals, setting up encampments.’
Israel’s war in Gaza was sparked by listed terror group Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1200 people and 250 hostages taken, according to Israel’s tallies.
The official death toll in Gaza has eclipsed 44,000, according to the local health ministry, with tens of thousands more missing or believed to be buried under rubble.
