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Sleekit Scotsman ☮️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 · Jul 28, 2026

Victoria’s New Premier and his Defence-Focused Israel Agenda

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Sleekit Scotsman ☮️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 · Sleekit Scotsman ☮️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Ben Carroll became Premier of Victoria only four months before a state election. Long before October 7, he had already positioned Israel as a strategic priority, describing it as his “first choice” for an overseas ministerial visit.

His March 2023 delegation centred heavily on Israeli defence, cyber and aerospace industries, while intersecting with organisations and networks closely associated with Melbourne’s pro-Israel establishment.

Shortcut: Jump past contents to start reading main body of the article:👉 CLICK HERE

First published: 28 July 2026

Last Update: 31 July 2026 (see 🗄️Version History - Article Updates)

APPENDICES

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🙏☕️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 A wee favour … 😊

Following Jacinta Allan’s resignation on 27 July 2026, Deputy Premier Ben Carroll has taken over only four months before the state election.

Allan had toed a pro-Israel line through Israel’s military campaign in Gaza - notably attending the 2024 Israel Independence Day gala dinner in Parliament - but facing criticism for not making a toast to Israel at the event.1

Surely the epitome of “nothing ever good enough” and perhaps symbolic of her rocky Premiership.

More of the retrospective significance of this small oversight in Epilogue: The furore over a missed toast sets the tone for the years of pandering that followed

Original Substack

“As Gaza Burns Australian Premiers celebrate Israel’s independence day“ (2 June 2024) - click below to read more:

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Even a brief examination of Carroll’s immediate pro-Israel credentials is revealing.

In December 2022 Caroll was made Minister for Industry and Innovation.

Just three months later he led a delegation to Israel in March 2023 announcing2:

“Israel is a key strategic partner for Victoria and was my first choice of destination as the recently appointed Minister for Industry & Innovation”.

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Interestingly Carroll’s trip had a major Defence focus in a number of areas. Quoting from his trip agenda:3

  • Building on the recent establishment of a research collaboration agreement with Victoria, meeting with SIBAT (IDF International Defence Cooperation) to continue the promotion of trade relations in the defence, aerospace, security and cybersecurity sectors.

  • Meeting with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to discuss their expansion plans within Victoria following the signing of a cooperation agreement with NIOA’s Australian Missile Corporation (AMC) in 2021. Carroll advised IAI that the Victorian Government was keen to explore future investment opportunities.

NIOA had acquired US firearms manufacturer Barrett only two months earlier4. Barrett is the longstanding principal supplier of sniper rifles to the Israeli military.

  • Undertaking a site visit and meeting with Elbit Carroll reaffirmed the Victorian Government’s commitment to the Human and Machine Teaming (HUM-T) Centre of Excellence (CoE) established in Port Melbourne in 2021. He engaged in discussions to further understand opportunities for increased cooperation with Elbit Systems of Australia (ELSA).

  • Undertaking a site visit and meeting with Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd and exploring its partnership with Varley and the prospects of strengthening its manufacturing presence in Victoria.

  • Undertaking a site visit and meeting with Plasan where Carroll promoted Victoria as a great region for any future presence and investment that Plasan may be exploring. The meeting also provided the opportunity to discuss Plasan’s contract with Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) which sees Plasan as HDA’s vehicle survivability and protection partner on the Land 400 Phase 3 program.

  • Meeting with Lt Gen (res) Gabi Ashkenazi, from BSW, a provider of cyber education services internationally, across schools, universities, corporations and industry. The meeting was an opportunity to confirm the importance of strengthening cyber capabilities internationally, and the role Victoria can play as the location for BSW’s activities in Australia.

Amongst those he thanked for facilitating his trip was the former Liberal MP Philip Dalidakis who led a 2016 Victorian State Government Cyber delegation to Israel5.

Victorian Government Cyber Delegation led by Philip Dalidakis at Israel’s Hall of Independence. Source: Israel Australia Chamber of Commerce Website here

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Carroll’s broader itinerary also closely overlaps with institutions linked to prominent Melbourne lawyer Mark Leibler, one of Australia’s most influential pro-Israel figures.

  • Meeting with Tel Aviv University (Leibler is on the Board of Governors)

  • The various groups facilitated by the Israel-Australia Chamber of Commerce of which Leibler’s firm Arnold Bloch Leibler is a principal sponsor.

  • Visiting Israeli State Defence firm Israel Aerospace Industries (AIA) which Leibler’s firm were the sole corporate agents for in Australia 2010-2020.

  • The various defence firms Carroll visited - noting AIJAC which Leibler Chairs - organises an annual private forum between Israeli defence firms, the IDF, Israeli Ministers, Australian Government and other parliamentary members and ADF - the Be’er Sheva Dialogue.

Notably for the first time in over ten years in November 2025 the Australian Albanese Labor Federal Government did not send a representative to the Be’er Sheva Dialogue (recently renamed the Australia/Israel Strategic Dialogue Conference)6.

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Carroll’s public record demonstrates longstanding engagement with Israeli government, defence and cyber organisations, together with institutions that occupy influential positions within Melbourne’s pro-Israel community.

Whether these relationships become an issue during the Victorian election remains to be seen. Both the Coalition and One Nation have generally adopted strongly pro-Israel positions, making sustained scrutiny less likely.

Whatever the outcome, Ben Carroll’s pro-Israel credentials are now a matter of public record.

The lobby appears to have chosen their horse.

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In May 2024, I wrote an article expressing my shock that as the undeniable genocide in Gaza was unfolding, the insensitivity of New South Wales and Victorian Premiers attending gala dinners celebrating Israel’s independence. This was happening while on the very same night (30th May) Rafah’s tents were being horrifically set ablaze by Israeli firebombing.

With the July 2026 resignation of Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, looking back again on that night a small detail stands out.

After Allan attended the dinner, giving speeches and “doing her bit” - the following day she was ostracised by the Australian Jewish News and Murdoch outlets for not giving a toast to Israel.

I was more focused on the openly zionist Chris Minns at that point so the significance was lost on me somewhat.

But in light of the last almost three years of manoeuvring by the pro-Israel lobby, the huge handouts and accommodations - the ungratefulness of this detail back in May 2024 seems to be the epitome of the issue.

Nothing will EVER be good enough.

Even in the midst of a genocide and firebombing.

Or after years of concessions and special accommodations and kid gloves treatment to avoid implying Israel has done wrong which might offend people in Australia who support Israel. Many of whom happen to be Jewish.

It’s just ridiculous.

I hope Australians are truly sick of this bloody pro-Israel lobby circus leading politicians and institutions around by the nose, lobbying for this farce of a Royal Commission and inviting President Herzog of Israel to Australia themselves before the PM was ushered along.

Enough is enough. Because frankly we’ve done more than enough.

As Jacinta did back in May 2024.

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APPENDICES

In Australia the pro-Israel lobby has always had its epicentre based in Melbourne. And literally for generations.

In 1973 then Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam called out “some heroes in Melbourne’s Jewish community” who were inappropriately trying to influence his Government’s position on a UN Vote on the Yom Kippur War.

Original Substack

“An Australian with integrity stands up to Israel.. in 1973” (Dec 10 2024) - to read more click below:

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END PAPERS

Recommended Sleekit Scotsman ☮️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 substack articles related to this one

Two Australian State Premiers speak at glittering Israel gala dinners in 2024 as Rafah literally burns (first published Jun 2 2024):

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  • Historical Australian politician speakers at Israel independence day Gala dinners

Australian former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam calls out the pro-Israel lobby directly for trying to blackmail The Australian Government during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

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  • Who might have been lobbying Whitlam?

  • A pattern repeated - calling out Israel at the UN 2012

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First published: 28 July 2026

Last Update: 31 July 2026

Sleekit Scotsman ☮️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 articles are updated periodically to add latest information on the subject of the article for relevance

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I am an autistic Scottish writer passionate about human rights issues and exposing Government corruption. I have a high attention to detail and can often spot connections and insights others may not see.

✍️ I’m an independent writer on social justice issues. As an autistic person, I have high attention to detail and try to put this in my work and though it does take me a long time to produce I do hope it is useful. 😊

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