August 8, 2012

SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) – Jewish pre-schools in Australia are receiving funds for a security upgrade under a federal government program.

Minister for Home Affairs Jason Clare said at the announcement Tuesday for increased funding to pre-schools: “The Secure Schools program is a targeted program aimed at schools at risk of racial, religious or ethnically motivated violence, property crime or harassment.”

Jewish pre-schools were allocated between $200,000 and $400,000.

Michael Danby, a Jewish federal lawmaker, joined Clare for the announcement.

“People targeting our schools do not differentiate between preschools, primary schools or high schools,” he said. “Earlier this year we saw the tragedy in France where four people died at a Jewish preschool. I am pleased to see this funding being provided to help keep our preschools safe.”

The Secure School Funding program, launched in 2008, has allocated $21 million of the $35 million pool to Jewish schools, according to the Australian Council of Jewish Schools, with $8.2 million going to Sydney, $10.9 million going to Melbourne and the other states sharing $2.6 million.

“Our community welcomes the expansion of the Secure Schools program to include pre-schools.  In taking this important action, the government has recognized that the safety and wellbeing of our youngest citizens deserves special attention. We would all prefer that security expenditure for pre-schools was not necessary, but sadly that is not the case, as can be seen from overseas and local attacks against Jewish community targets.  Regrettably, incitement to racism is becoming more not less of a problem, often hiding disingenuously behind the mantra of ‘free speech’,” said Peter Wertheim, executive director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
 

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