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Key Points
- Antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal released a 20-point plan to combat hostility towards Jewish Australians last week.
- If adopted, universities and artists could lose government funding if they don’t act against antisemitism.
- Labor MP Ed Husic has cautioned against an approach that used “threats of funding”.
Segal, however, has said the definition clearly states what is and isn’t problematic. Some Jewish groups, including the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, have called for the plan to be adopted in full.
“I just think the issue of definition instantly brings into question whether or not people will be able to raise their concerns about the actions, for example, of what the Netanyahu government is doing in Gaza and how that would be treated under a definition,” he said.
Universities Australia committed to considering the report’s recommendations.
Definition author and Liberal MP raise free speech concerns
“I don’t think anyone should propose that. I don’t think that’d be consistent with Australia’s approach to free speech.”
Liberal senator James Paterson has raised free speech concerns over legislating the antisemitism definition. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
Among critics cautioning the Australian government from adopting the IHRA definition into law is its author, Kenneth Stern, who labelled the prospect “a disaster”.
