Labor's most prominent Jewish MP, rising star Josh Burns, has spoken about the dark days he experienced as Australia's antisemitism crisis escalated and the moment he advised the prime minister he wanted to step away in 2026.

Burns has revealed he will take extended leave to be the primary carer of his new baby when his partner, Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell, returns to her work in the Victorian parliament.

In an interview with ABC's Politics Now podcast, recorded before the Bondi terrorist shootings, Burns says an antisemitic attack on his office in June 2024 — when windows were smashed, fires were lit in front of the building and "Zionism is fascism" was spray-painted across his photo — was "difficult and distressing".

"But I really appreciate the outpouring of support from the Jewish community and from everyone who's reached out to me," he says.

"It's meant a lot."

Burns says he was hurt when he was subjected to criticism from his own family and community. Labor and the Albanese government have been at the centre of criticism about their response to antisemitism.

"It hurts more than anything," he says.

"It's like arguing with your family, you know? And the emotions and the sort of foundations of being in a situation where you are having difficult circumstances with people you love is a really hard thing."

In June, Josh Burns and Georgie Purcell announced they were expecting a daughter in the first few days of 2026.   (Supplied: Instagram)

'Looking after our baby daughter'

Burns — whose daughter Lilah was born on December 23 — says he's thinking about how he will manage being a father and a politician.

"I'm loving my roles right now in housing … How do I manage that without compromising on missing out on the people and the times with people I love?" he says.

With Purcell facing an election in November, Burns says he wants to support her when she returns to work.

"I will be doing a lot of looking after our beautiful daughter, and I will be making sure that I can help support Georgie be a member of parliament too," he says.

"This is not her responsibility, it's ours, and I'm stressed about how I'm going to manage it because it's really hard … I'll have to find a way to make it work."

Burns's plan to take extended paternity leave next year to care for his baby makes him a rarity in federal parliament.