The controversial artwork has been visible in the Wagga store all week. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Member for Riverina Michael McCormack has said he wants harsher laws regarding political protests after Wagga graphic design studio Advision displayed new artwork heavily criticising Israel.
Earlier this week, a billboard was erected in the front window of the Fitzmaurice Street store depicting a boy walking with a Palestinian flag alongside graphic photos of starving children and rhetoric calling Israel a “terrorist state”. The display was still visible as at Thursday afternoon (8 January).
The artwork ends with the phrase “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free”. Some see this as advocating for Palestinian liberation between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, while others believe it is an anti-Jewish call for the destruction of Israel.
The new work also claims that Israel is preventing humanitarian aid efforts into Gaza, while also stating that the country’s actions are “the number one cause for anti-Semitism worldwide”.
Following the Bondi terrorist attack on 14 December, which saw 15 people killed at a Jewish religious celebration, NSW Premier Chris Minns announced that protests related to Middle East issues will be restricted to reduce political tension within NSW.
Mr McCormack criticised the new Advision sign, stating it went against what the NSW Premier wanted to achieve.
“The window says, ‘From the river to the sea’. Now, the river to the sea is seen by many people, to many Jews and organisations, as anti-Semitic,” he said.
“It’s about the extermination of Israel. The end of Israel and river to the sea should not be chanted as it was in the main street not that long ago.
“The window, you know, they have to be reasonable and decent, and they’re not. I’m afraid they’re just not. And you know, they will, there are, and there will be new laws about this sort of publicity, about this sort of language, and they rightly should be.”
Mr McCormack clashed with Advision in March 2025 when the store erected artwork depicting himself, Clive Palmer, Gina Rinehart and Peter Dutton wearing outfits akin to that of German military leaders. At the time, Advision owner Michael Agzarian claimed it was a parody based on the 1960s comedy TV show Hogan’s Heroes.
Advision was slammed by Mr McCormack in March last year over its depiction of him and several other political leaders. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Following the Bondi attack, Mr McCormack also called for the removal of activist Ray Goodlass’ column from a local newspaper, saying it contributed to the spread of anti-Semitism in Wagga.
“I don’t get it. I just don’t understand why they think, particularly after Bondi and in and around this very sad and difficult time, where the nation is still coming to terms and to grips with what actually happened, that this is necessary,” Mr McCormack said.
“Who else, apart from me, has jammed up about?
“You’ve got other community leaders who’ve said things about being against anti-Semitism, but, and the trouble is, no one’s backing it up.
“I’ve not seen anybody, anybody sort of really come out and say this is about apart from me, and I tell you what it has, it has been at a personal cost, because my wife and I have been abused in the main street.
“They can keep throwing it at us, but you know, it’s not nice, it’s not Wagga Wagga, and something needs to be done because the standard you walk past is the standard you accept.”
Region contacted Mr Agzarian for comment.
