Port Phillip Mayor Alex Makin will travel to Sydney to appear before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, calling for changes to how Australia monitors and funds grassroots efforts to tackle rising religious and racial prejudice.
In his witness statement previewed by TWiSK, Makin will outline a worrying rise in antisemitic incidents within his municipality.
Mayor Makin’s testimony will highlight a significant escalation of antisemitism in Melbourne’s inner south. He will report that recorded antisemitic incidents Port Phillip rose from 86 in 2024 to 104 in 2025. The 2025 figure alone represented about 18 per cent of all antisemitic incidents recorded across Victoria that year.
Council also received 3,273 requests for graffiti removal; 565 incidents were assessed as racist, antisemitic, sexually offensive or otherwise hate-motivated material.
He will say that acts of prejudice and hostility towards one community can contribute to a broader sense of insecurity among other marginalised groups, including increased targeting of LGBTQIA+ communities.
Makin will point to the traumatic December 2024 firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue as the most dramatic in a wave of antisemitic behaviour. He will testify that these incidents have forced some members of the Jewish community to conceal or avoid wearing visible symbols of their faith and cultural identity.
The testimony will also reveal how security fears are restricting public life. He will warn that Jewish community events have had to limit publicity and withhold venue details.
Proposed responses and solutions
To address these challenges, Makin will present several practical, preventative recommendations to the Royal Commission:
Direct federal funding partnerships: The mayor will propose a dedicated, direct funding stream from the Commonwealth Government to local councils.
A unified measurement framework: Makin will advocate for a shared framework measuring social cohesion at the local level to identify and address shifting social tensions before they escalate.
Leveraging local government grants: Port Phillip is incorporating the Victorian Government’s Commitment to Social Cohesion into its funding frameworks. Makin proposes this as a scalable model for other councils, allowing local governments to withdraw funding or support from organisations that fail to meet standards of inclusion and non-discrimination.
Inclusive urban design: The mayor will highlight the use of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles, such as improved lighting and hostile vehicle mitigation, to build safety directly into public spaces like Ripponlea without eroding community confidence.
Mayor Makin will conclude his testimony by urging state and federal policymakers to involve local governments earlier in the design of anti-racism strategies, arguing that councils are uniquely positioned to build trust and prevent prejudice before critical incidents occur.
