The arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on Friday was a wakeup call.

It demonstrated loud and clear that our safety and freedoms cannot be taken for granted.

This was a clear violation of the fundamental rights of freedom of religion and freedom of association.

And it’s right that it has been declared a terrorism incident to ensure a full investigation can take place.

While that investigation continues, it’s worth considering the broader context of religious freedom in Australia.

Because the fact is Australia is increasingly hostile for all people of faith.

There’s been a long-term failure of governments to protect fundamental freedom rights in proportion to their increasing focus on equality and identity rights.

Concepts like “equality”, “identity”, “harm”, and “misinformation” obfuscate the reality that human rights discourse has become about promoting novel ideologies at the expense of universally accepted fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion.

For example, many states are moving to remove protections for faith-based schools who want to protect their religious ethos and present a positive vision of human flourishing that differs from progressive narratives.

The synagogue attack is downstream of a cultural and political environment that no longer prioritises or defends the foundational rights of freedom of religion, speech, conscience, and association.

We must be vigilant against all violations of fundamental rights.

A society that turns a blind eye when Christian employees are disciplined for their beliefs will eventually accept attacks on places of worship.

The Human Rights Law Alliance is the only law firm defending the rights of Australians to live and speak the truth, and advocating for the fundamental rights of freedom of speech, conscience, and association.

This work is more important than ever.