Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a significant government crackdown on hate speech and violent religious incitement, fast-tracking its response to a major report on antisemitism in the wake of the Bondi Junction terror attack.
Government Adopts Envoy's Recommendations
Joined by the special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, Mr Albanese confirmed on Thursday that the government would adopt 13 recommendations from her July report. A central pillar of the plan is the official adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. This move, however, is contentious, with opponents arguing it could be used to stifle legitimate criticism of the state of Israel.
The prime minister's announcement came after days of mounting pressure for stronger action following the Bondi beach massacre, which targeted Jewish Australians among other victims. "We warned of the risk of not dealing with antisemitism in this country promptly and effectively after 7 October [2023]," said Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ). "It is an absolute tragedy that it has taken a massacre of Jewish and other Australians for that step to be taken."
Mixed Reactions from Community Leaders
The ECAJ labelled the government's plan an essential "first step", but stressed that the details would need close scrutiny. Meanwhile, other groups voiced strong concerns about the potential for the measures to deepen societal fractures.
Max Kaiser, executive officer at the Jewish Council of Australia, warned against using communal grief as a political tool. "Our grief should not be used as a political weapon, nor as an excuse to pursue agendas that divide communities," he stated, arguing that a top-down, law-and-order response would be ineffective.
Tim Roberts, president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, expressed fear that the changes could be exploited to justify clamping down on pro-Palestine protests. "Endorsing this report at this time is capitulating to those who are trying to conflate what we saw at Bondi with some of our broader questions around [opposing] the actions of the Israeli government," he said.
Opposition and Academic Scrutiny
In response to the government's announcement, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley accused Mr Albanese of "missing the mark" and unveiled her own policy. This included powers to strip citizenship from dual nationals involved in terrorism, deny visas from "terrorist enclaves" like Hamas-controlled territories, and block funding for arts and research projects supporting antisemitic activities.
Academic experts also raised flags. Professor Kath Gerber, a hate speech expert from the University of Queensland, cautioned that adopting the IHRA definition could make it "very difficult" to distinguish between antisemitism and valid political discourse under Australia's unique civil anti-vilification laws.
Despite the criticism, some institutions offered support. Universities Australia called the plan a "strong and necessary step", with chair Professor Carolyn Evans pledging to work to ensure campuses remain safe and inclusive for all faiths.
