Foreword

1.1Over the past few months, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (the committee) has inquired into antisemitism on university campuses.

1.2What the committee found was a disturbing prevalence of antisemitism that has left Jewish students and staff feeling unsafe, hiding their identity on campus and even avoiding campus all together.

1.3The committee witnessed brazen incidents of antisemitism go without consequence or leadership by some of our university vice-chancellors.

1.4This needs to be addressed, with urgency. We are now at a pivotal point where universities must implement the committee’s recommendations to ensure Jewish students and staff go back to campus in semester one knowing that their safety is taken seriously, and if there are incidents on campus, they will be addressed in a timely and transparent way.

1.5Throughout the summer, the committee held four hearings and received 49 submissions, in addition to the 669 submissions recently provided to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs’ inquiry into the Commission of Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities Bill 2024 (No. 2).

1.6What was evident is there is a lack of consistency across the country. We heard from a range of universities, with some universities having clear policies on antisemitism and others without an adequate understanding or commitment to stamp out antisemitism on campus.

1.7The committee’s inquiry highlighted the importance of listening to the lived experiences of Jewish students and staff. There was a stark difference between universities who engaged proactively with the Jewish community and who let their experiences guide the university’s response, and those who did not.

1.8Overall, the current situation of Jewish students and staff feeling unsafe is unacceptable.

1.9The committee has made ten recommendations, most of which relate to policies that universities can put into place for the beginning of this academic year – including direct engagement with Jewish students and staff, implementing a definition of antisemitism, introducing antisemitism training for staff, simplifying the complaints process to encourage student reporting and publishing de-identified complaints reports to improve transparency.

1.10There is a cultural shift which is needed, and for that to occur university responses to antisemitism must be informed by an understanding of the experiences of Jewish students and staff, and those Jewish students and staff must feel that their concerns are heard and valued.

1.11For the past 16 months, Jewish Australians have faced an unprecedented rise in antisemitism across the country. However, as several vice-chancellors said during our inquiry - the rise in antisemitic incidents on campus did not start on 7 October 2023.

1.12It should not have taken a parliamentary inquiry and a national antisemitism crisis for universities to listen to the Jewish community and recognise their responsibility in addressing antisemitism on campus.

1.13Universities have the potential to reflect the best of multicultural Australia.Campus must be a place of collaboration, education, and new experiences, both inside and outside of the classroom. Addressing antisemitism on campus is a step towards ensuring exactly that. Everyone has a right to be who they are, free from vilification and bigotry.

1.14I want to thank the entire committee for contributing and for aiming to reach consensus in the recommendations. The multi-partisan work we have completed together over the summer will mean Jewish students and staff are able to go back to university this year with greater protections and an acknowledgement of their experiences, and for that I am very grateful for everyone’s contributions.

1.15I would like to thank the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs for their previous work on the inquiry into the Commission of Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities Bill 2024 (No.2).

1.16I would also like to thank the committee secretariat for their tireless work of compiling the report, recommendations and public hearings throughout the summer.

1.17Finally, I want to thank the Jewish students and staff who gave their testimony to both our inquiry and the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs’ inquiry into the Commission of Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities Bill 2024 (No. 2). Their advocacy on behalf of their fellow students and staff, as well as their desire to work with universities to ensure campus is a safe and welcoming place for all is greatly appreciated.