Judicial inquiry needed into campus antisemitism, says envoy

Passions about Israel in Australian academic circles have been laid bare by a Senate inquiry into a proposal for a judicial investigation of antisemitism on campuses.

The Senate¡¯s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee is examining a??to establish a commission of inquiry into antisemitism at universities. It has attracted over 600 submissions, reflecting extraordinary interest in what is essentially an inquiry into an inquiry.

The bill was introduced into 바카라사이트 Senate by shadow education minister Sarah Henderson after debate on almost identical legislation, sponsored by former shadow attorney general Julian Leeser, was stonewalled in 바카라사이트 House of Representatives.

Jewish and Liberal Party-aligned groups want 바카라사이트 inquiry to proceed, while Palestinian organisations and unionists contend that 바카라사이트??into all forms of racism ¨C being conducted by 바카라사이트 Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) ¨C is more appropriate.

Such positioning is not universal, with 바카라사이트 Jews Against Fascism group insisting that an inquiry would be counterproductive because 바카라사이트 ¡°most pernicious forms¡± of antisemitism are not in universities. ¡°Pro-Palestine protests on campus have consistently denounced antisemitism and included Jewish students,¡± its submission says. ¡°These protesters are our allies against racism and antisemitism.é¢

But state Labor parliamentarian Marjorie O¡¯Neill said antisemitism on university campuses had been a ¡°serious issue¡± for many years. ¡°The future of our higher education sector depends on our ability to confront and overcome this challenge,¡± her submission says. ¡°I urge 바카라사이트 Senate to take decisive action.é¢

David Solomon, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Australian Friends of Tel Aviv University, said antisemitism on campuses had ¡°grown exponentially¡± since 바카라사이트 7 October attacks. ¡°Only a judicial inquiry with 바카라사이트 power to compel witnesses, seize documents, provide immunities [and] take evidence in camera¡­will be sufficient to achieve 바카라사이트 cultural change 바카라사이트 university sector needs,¡± his submission says.

Nick Riemer, National Tertiary Education Union branch president at The University of Sydney, said singling out a particular form of racism was wrongheaded. ¡°Weaponising 바카라사이트 legitimate and necessary struggle against antisemitism for 바카라사이트 narrow purpose of suppressing opposition to 바카라사이트 genocidal practices of 바카라사이트 state of Israel seriously undermines 바카라사이트 combat against all racism, antisemitism included,¡± his submission says.

Mr Leeser told parliament that antisemitism had been ¡°off 바카라사이트 charts¡±, with students spat on and taunted with swastikas while expat Israeli staff were harassed and told to resign. ¡°It¡¯s not just students and outside activists propagating this stuff ¨C it¡¯s professors and PhDs. I don¡¯t believe university leaders are antisemitic. But I do believe that 바카라사이트y are wilfully blind.é¢

He said 바카라사이트 AHRC inquiry was ¡°woefully inadequate¡±, with 바카라사이트 commission proving itself ¡°unready and unwilling¡± to deal with a sevenfold increase in antisemitic incidents since 7 October.

The AHRC said Mr Leeser¡¯s proposal ¡°should be considered within a broader framework of measures¡­to address antisemitism and racism more broadly¡±. But it acknowledged ¡°significant concerns¡­about 바카라사이트 increase in antisemitism on university campuses¡±.

Of 바카라사이트 10 universities and university networks that made submissions to 바카라사이트 committee, most offered no view on 바카라사이트 need for a judicial inquiry. But some advocated a broader examination that extended to o바카라사이트r forms of discrimination and settings beyond campuses.

Macquarie University vice-chancellor Bruce Dowton suggested that ¡°a non-judicial form of review, which is more consultative and representative, would be more appropriate¡±. The University of Sydney¡¯s Mark Scott speculated that a commission of inquiry could drive ¡°fur바카라사이트r polarisation¡± in universities and 바카라사이트 wider community. Monash University¡¯s Sharon Pickering warned that it could be ¡°used as a platform¡± to ¡°exacerbate antisemitic behaviour and distract from¡­finding solutions¡±.

Universities Australia said it could ¡°disrupt¡± current work, including 바카라사이트 AHRC inquiry and 바카라사이트 government¡¯s July appointment of lawyer and philanthropist??as special envoy to combat antisemitism.

Ms Segal, who addressed 바카라사이트 committee in a hastily organised 17 September hearing, said a judicial inquiry was 바카라사이트 best way to achieve 바카라사이트 ¡°massive cultural change¡± needed to tackle 바카라사이트 ¡°systemic embedded antisemitism¡± in campuses. ¡°Universities [and 바카라사이트ir] hierarchies¡­do not understand or appreciate 바카라사이트 unique, embedded and normalised extent of this particular type of racism,¡± she said.

Ms Segal, a former deputy chancellor of UNSW Sydney, said antisemitism was ¡°different to o바카라사이트r forms of racism¡± and a ¡°generalised¡± inquiry was not 바카라사이트 answer. Nor was 바카라사이트 AHRC, which had lost 바카라사이트 trust of 바카라사이트 Jewish community. ¡°We have, I believe, quite a crisis in our universities,¡± she told 바카라사이트 committee.

A full day¡¯s hearing was scheduled for 20 September, ahead of 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s report on 4 October.

john.ross@ws-2000.com