Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton mark 80 years since Auschwitz liberation at Perth Holocaust memorial

Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have briefly put political hostilities on hold to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp on Monday.

At a memorial service on Holocaust Remembrance Day at the Jewish Community Centre in Yokine, the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader stood with members of the local community.

Along with senior leaders from both political parties — including Premier Roger Cook and Liberal leader Libby Mettam — Mr Albanese and Mr Dutton were warned of the rising anti-Semitism and the effect on the Jewish community.

The two leaders shook hands briefly, before taking their seats.

Holocaust Institute of WA education director Judith Lawrence said the rising hatred was mirroring attitudes of that faced by Jewish people in 1930s Europe, saying it was “gradual before it was sudden”.

“Social media disseminates these age old tropes and radical ideologies continue to stoke violence,” she said.

“We must recognise that anti-Semitism is never just about Jews. It is an indication of a broader societal decay.

“The failure to combat it undermines our social cohesion. If we are to truly create a better future, we must recognise that these patterns of hate and refuse to run history to repeat itself.”

The crowd heard from Holocaust Institute of WA president Sol Majteles who told his father’s story of how he delayed his capture by the nazis and ultimately survived his time at Auschwitz.

Recounting the last words his grandfather told his father before they were separated while being forced onto a train, Mr Majteles said they became a guiding principle for his life.

“May you live to tell the world what we have gone through here,” Mr Majteles recounted.

Mr Albanese and Mr Cook joined a smaller meeting of Jewish leaders after the event, while Mr Dutton spoke with the crowd.

Speaking after the service, Mr Dutton said he had found it “quite emotional”.

“It’s a very emotional day, and I hope that that emotion can be felt by millions of Australians because the story of the Holocaust should never be forgotten,” he said.

“When we see the level of anti-Semitism in our country now, it’s as high as it’s ever been.

“There are Holocaust survivors who have found safety in our country since the Second World War, who now feel unsafe in Australia — that tells us that something is seriously wrong, and the wrong needs to be corrected.”

Mr Albanese said it was a “great privilege” to hear the stories told at the event and the bipartisan turnout was a positive sign.

“We need to work together as a nation to stamp out any form of anti-Semitism,” he said.

The service comes amid a surge in anti-Semitism across Australia, including homes and businesses owned by Jewish people being hit with graffiti and firebombs.

It has prompted the Coalition to tip $2 million into WA’s Holocaust Institute’s education program. That funding was matched late on Sunday by Mr Albanese.