Shadow education minister Julian Leeser urged Australian universities to audit courses on the Jewish community, Israel, and Palestine for balance, citing concerns about antisemitism post-October 7. He also recommended legislating the IHRA antisemitism definition and removing antisemitic materials.
Australian Jewish schools are forced to pay for armed guards and increased security levies, impacting budgets and students, due to rising antisemitism. Principals testified to a Royal Commission, revealing parents pay over $1,000 annually, with government funding covering only 30% of costs, despite a recent $124 million federal pledge for enhanced security.
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion hears evidence from Melbourne's Adass Israel Synagogue community, firebombed in December 2024. Australia's spy agency alleges Iran orchestrated the attack, which damaged priceless Torah scrolls.
A UNSW academic reported students performing Nazi salutes during a business class. The royal commission into antisemitism heard from Jewish students and academics about their experiences, including loss of friends and being called slurs after the Oct 7 attacks. Universities face new standards to combat discrimination.
Migrants and experts are challenging claims by Pauline Hanson's One Nation party that a 'language problem' among immigrants is a risk to social cohesion in Australia. They argue that language acquisition is a process and that migrants contribute diverse skills regardless of English proficiency, with support services being crucial for integration.
Australian universities must adopt legally enforceable definitions of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racism against Indigenous people from 2027. This new standard aims to combat discrimination on campuses and follows recommendations from a Human Rights Commission report and the federal government's antisemitism plan.
Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant told the antisemitism royal commission that mainstream platforms, including X, are actively fighting to distribute and monetise 'gore' and 'fringe' content, challenging regulatory efforts and spending less on safety teams.
The author, a Jewish supporter of Palestinian freedom, details how Israel's defenders weaponize Holocaust memory and Jewish grief against critics, including herself. She argues this framework recasts criticism of Israel as antisemitism, flattening Jewish identity into allegiance to the state and silencing dissent.
Witnesses to Australia's antisemitism royal commission are facing severe online abuse, including misogynistic attacks on the partner of a Labor MP. Research shows factual reports quickly morph into conspiracy theories, with spikes in both anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate following major events.
Witnesses to Australia's antisemitism royal commission are facing severe online abuse, including threats and misogynistic attacks, according to Labor MP Josh Burns. Research presented also shows factual reports quickly morph into conspiracy theories online, with spikes in both anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate following major events.
Teal independents Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender have launched Community Strong Australia, a new centrist political party focusing on issues like housing and climate change. The party aims to extend the community independent model, denies the move is to skirt new electoral laws, and expects AEC registration by October.
The Jewish Council of Australia (JCA) identifies far-right extremism and the conflation of Jewish identity with Israel as primary drivers of antisemitism in Australia. The group's submission to a royal commission highlights the "often overlooked" threat from the far-right and criticizes the tendency to treat Jews collectively as representatives of Israel.
Andrea Jenkyns, Reform mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, walked out of a meeting with Communities Secretary Steve Reed and other mayors after a heated debate about social media's role in exacerbating community tensions following the murder of Henry Nowak. Jenkyns argued for freedom of speech, while others blamed foreign actors and political exploitation.
Jillian Segal, antisemitism envoy, hired Scott Morrison’s former principal adviser, Yaron Finkelstein, via a limited tender process for a $200,000 contract without public bidding, citing unique expertise in antisemitism in the Australian context.
A royal commission heard details of the Bondi beach terror attack where two gunmen killed 10 people. NSW police declined a static presence at the Hanukah event. ASIO's director-general discussed counter-terrorism funding and the rising threat of lone actors.
Australia's ABC and SBS broadcasters will not adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism used by a royal commission, citing editorial independence and concerns over illustrative examples conflating criticism of Israel with hatred of Jews.
Sajid Javid has launched the National Conversation project, co-chaired with Jon Cruddas, to address divisions in Britain. The initiative urges the public to share their visions for community and country, aiming to map a shared future amid political fragmentation.
