Report on antisemitism at Australian Universities
The Jewish Council of Australia has released a new report into antisemitism at Australian universities. The report analyses all 501 public submissions to the 2024 parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities.
The report provides the first rigorous examination of the nature and extent of antisemitism on Australian campuses since the events of October 7, 2023.
The report identified 389 incidents contained in the submissions that met our inclusion criteria. The findings revealed:
This indicates there is significant confusion and conflation amongst university students and staff between antisemitism and legitimate forms of political expression. For example, many submissions reported political speech as antisemitic, such as Israel being accused of genocide in Gaza, images that supported Palestine (such as a Palestinian flag), and use of the word ‘Zionist’ as a negative characteristic.
The 79 antisemitic incidents range from antisemitic slurs and Nazi salutes to offensive stickers, highlighting the multifaceted and serious nature of antisemitism on campuses. Out of these incidents, the highest number (39 incidents) involved antisemitism related to Israel or the conflation of Jewish individuals or communities with the actions or policies of the State of Israel. The second highest category, of 19 incidents, involved antisemitism related to harmful stereotypes and tropes about Jewish people, such as those related to wealth, power, or influence.
The report makes recommendations to address antisemitism on university campuses while also tackling the significant conflation of antisemitism with legitimate political speech.
Read the full report here.
