Labor MP accuses Greens leader of ‘prejudice’ over Jewish community comments - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

A Labor MP has accused new Greens leader David Shoebridge of "prejudice" for singling out Jewish Australians. (ABC News: Callum Flinn)

Labor MP Josh Burns has criticised new Greens leader David Shoebridge over comments about the party's relationship with Jewish Australians. 

Mr Burns said Senator Shoebridge's focus on those who shared the Greens' views on the Middle East were not "inclusive".

Labor has said it still hopes to have "constructive" relationships with the new Greens leadership team.

A Labor MP has accused new Greens leader David Shoebridge of "prejudice" for singling out Jewish Australians who share his party's views on Gaza when asked about repairing relations with the broader community.

Macnamara MP Josh Burns, who is Jewish, said he found the comments by Senator Shoebridge "pretty shocking" and argued people should not be "judged" on whether they agreed with the Greens leader or not.

"The Jewish community should not be put into categories of good and bad based on their views of what is happening in the Middle East; that is not progressive leadership," he said.

Labor MP Josh Burns said he found the comments "pretty shocking". (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

Speaking again today, Mr Burns acknowledged Senator Shoebridge had not said there were "good" or bad Jewish people, but argued the Greens' leader's "instinct" had been to "isolate" members of the community.

After winning the Greens leadership yesterday, Senator Shoebridge was asked if he would "mend the bridges" between his party and the local Jewish community.

He rejected the premise of the question, saying the Greens had "really strong connections" with "much of the Australian Jewish community".

"And we will continue to champion their voices, to be solid allies with them."

Senator Shoebridge said he wanted the media to listen to those "powerful, principled voices" and "platform" them.

"Listen to their cries for justice like we do," he said.

David Shoebridge rejected the premise he needed to "mend the bridges" between his party and the local Jewish community. (AAP: George Chan)

But Mr Burns said Senator Shoebridge should "reflect" on his answer and suggested public statements like that would "send chills up the spines of many people in the Jewish community".

"Coming from the progressive side of politics, who is meant to be inclusive, I would say that is anything but," he said.

"Instead of saying something that was unifying and acknowledge that everyone deserves to feel safe and be included in the Australian political landscape, Senator Shoebridge decided to give an answer that said that he has relationships with some members of the Jewish community that agree with him on their perspective of the Middle East."

A spokesperson for Senator Shoebridge said the original question was asked "by a News Corp journalist that even they didn't see fit to publish".

"Members of the progressive Jewish community consistently tell us their opposition to genocide and their deep cultural history of humanism and peace is being deliberately ignored by journalists," they said.

"In the rare moments those voices do get a platform, or are even acknowledged, they are marginalised and attacked by the media."

Steph Hodgins-May previously ran as the Greens candidate against Mr Burns. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)

Despite his criticism, Mr Burns said he still hoped to have a "constructive" relationship with the new Greens leadership team, which includes Victorian senator Steph Hodgins-May as deputy.

Senator Hodgins-May previously ran as the Greens candidate against Mr Burns at two federal elections.

She came close to beating Mr Burns on primary votes in 2022 in what was a tight three-way race between the Greens, Labor and Liberals.

Senator Shoebridge put economic inequality at the centre of his pitch to voters yesterday, arguing Labor had failed to look after people who were struggling.

"Things have got harder, much, much harder, for ordinary Australians," he said.

"What has become so clear after four years of this government, and years before, is that we are not here to make the Labor Party any better.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said today he was looking forward to "constructive engagement" with the new Greens team but said their criticism of Labor was "somewhat concerning".

He suggested the political threat posed by One Nation should instead be the primary focus.

"I'm a Labor loyalist, we are a party of government, not a party of protest, and that's the difference," he said.

But Senator Shoebridge blamed Labor for the rise of One Nation and said the Greens were the only party capable of combating Pauline Hanson.

Prime Minister Anthony labelled the Greens' critisim of Labor "somewhat concerning". (ABC News)

Senator Shoebridge, a former barrister and NSW state politician, was elected yesterday after the sudden resignation of Queensland senator Larissa Waters due to illness.

Her replacement was decided in a rare, contested ballot, with senators Sarah Hanson-Young and Mehreen Faruqi also challenging for the top position.

In a social media post today, Senator Hanson-Young congratulated Senator Shoebridge and thanked those who had supported her bid for the leadership.

"Sorry we couldn't pull it off this time but buckle up because we've got a lot of work to do," she said.

Senator Hanson said politics could be "brutal" with friendships "made and lost" and argued it was going to take a "huge effort to stop Pauline Hanson and the radical right from wrecking this country".

"Australians deserve an optimistic, caring and defiant progressive force, and I won't be backing down," she said.

Senator Faruqi was disappointed the leadership of the party was not decided by a member vote. (ABC News: Floss Adams)

After the result, Senator Faruqi released a statement expressing her "disappointment" and reiterating her calls for the party's leader to be "elected by members".

"I share members' frustration that the opposite happened this week," she said.

"Without a member vote, we cannot call ourselves a grassroots party."