A  ban by Jewish own business and Jewish people across Australia is being called for after it was revealed that Officeworks staff refused to laminate a Jewish newspaper because the person serving the customer supported ‘Pro Palestinian’ protests.

The Melbourne incident in a Melbourne store has resulted in the customer, taking legal action in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal according to the Australian newspaper.

We have been able to confirm that the staff member  who refused to serve the Jewish customer is still working for Officeworks.

A spoksperson for the Company told ChannelNews “We can confirm this team member is still employed at Officeworks and has undergone education and training in respect to discrimination and of Officeworks’ policies and procedures”. .”

how many staff across the Officeworks network are supporting ‘Pro Palestinian’ protests which have been condemned by Australian politicians and various Australian Police Forces are not known.

The Jewish customer claims that Officeworks simply thanked him for the feedback and offered him a $100 gift card.

“It makes you wonder, are Jews safe, are we in an environment where we’ll be protected?” he asked.

“To not even be able to go about your normal business, it makes me feel like all the stories we’ve heard about in the 1940s this is happening to me,” he said.

He told The Australian that he felt he was being discriminated against “in the craziest way’’.

To see the video click the below image.

“I’m just simply asking to have a photo of us going to Israel in the Jewish News, a mainstream newspaper in our local community, to be laminated, and I’m being told that my business is being refused because I’m Jewish or Zionist or wearing a kippah in public,” he said.

The Jewish man has asked to remain anonymous due to fears of retribution.

Officeworks management have known of the incident since March 2024 but have so far failed to identify how the employee’s actions were addressed by management and what action was taken internally or whether the employee was as one person said, “simply shifted to another store”.

We have reached out to Officeworks PR agency for a comment, ironically Officeworks agency is called Alternative Thinking. Shifting Behaviour.

On Twitter GemmaTognini already has 1,800+ views after she wrote “A customers is refused service because they’re Jewish”

“Officeworks offers him a $100 gift card in response, and keeps the person on staff”

I am actually lost for words. First time for everything I suppose. Looking forward to never spending there again”.

Another upset former customer wrote “Jewish man refused service because … he’s a Jew. No. It’s not 1939 Germany. It’s present day Melbourne, Australia. The employee needs to be a former employee. Stat.

David Southwick MP said “This is disgraceful. I’ll be writing to Officeworks immediately, because this is appalling behaviour and cannot continue”.

The incident that was recorded on a video shows the man at a counter at the Elsternwick store presenting a copy of the Australian Jewish News, requesting for it to be laminated before an Officeworks staff member, who identified herself as a department manager, refuses him service because of her “pro-Palestinian” stance.

“I’m pro-Palestine, and we have the right to deny jobs … it is an Officeworks position, she said.

The Australian reports that Dr Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, said the incident should be condemned by politicians.

“Treating Jewish people differently because of who they are is discrimination plain and simple,” Mr Abramovich said.

Pro Palestinian protests have been slammed by Politicians but not Officeworks Management.

“Officeworks Elsternwick might as well have posted a sign in the store saying, ‘No service for Jews, Zionists or supporters of Israel.’

“ Just because someone is pro-Palestine does not give them a license to ignore equal opportunity laws,” he said.

Officeworks who are well known for their woke attitudes and support for equal opportunity have not said how many of their staff actually support Pro Palestinian protests and are not prepared to serve Jewish people or businesses owned by Jewish business executives.

ChannelNews has been told by two Jewish owned business that they will “never buy another product from Officeworks again”.

The staff member was wearing a rainbow Officeworks lanyard at the time is believed to still be working for Officeworks.

“I’ve looked at the photo, I’ve looked at the headline,” she said.

The Jewish man then pointed out the store was “in a Jewish community’’.

Officeworks CEO Sarah Hunter who was recently in Europe on holiday has not commented on the incident or the damage to the Officeworks brand.

When the staff member realised the customer was recording, she asked the Jewish customer to leave.

A spokesperson for Officeworks told The Australian ” We are disappointed that this did not occur with one of our customers at our Elsternwick store in March 2024”.

“We can confirm that we have taken this matter extremely seriously, and since the matter occurred, have investigated internally, and taken the appropriate action to ensure this doesn’t take place again.

“In this particular incident, our policies were incorrectly applied and in accordance with our Officeworks’ policies, the laminating should have taken place.

“Additionally, we have provided ongoing training and education to our team members so that they are aware of the legal requirements in respect of discrimination and of Officeworks’ policies and procedures.”

Dr Abramovich said the incident was a ‘stain’ on Melbourne’s reputation as a multicultural and welcoming city.

‘It is time for Officeworks to not just talk the talk but walk the walk by sending the unmistakable message that Jewish Australians and anyone supporting Israel are welcome in their stores,’ he said.

‘I urge the Human Rights Commission and the government to condemn this unacceptable conduct.’

New Israel Fund Executive Director, Michael Chaitow, similarly criticised the worker’s actions as ‘regrettable’.

‘We must be able to work together in this difficult moment, even if we disagree,’ he said.

‘While Officeworks’ policies are there to protect the safety and wellbeing of their employees, which is critical, the customer’s printing request does not pose a threat to their safety or wellbeing.

‘As all sides of politics have emphasised, Israel’s war with Hamas is a sensitive issue, one that affects people deeply and personally.

‘However, discrimination based on religion or political views does not have a place in our society.’