Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal proposes oversight of universities in her plan for the Albanese Government, recommending a judicial inquiry if “significant problems” remain on campuses in six months.
Ms Segal released her proposal yesterday at a media event with the Prime Minister.
Ms Segal states “universities must embrace cultural change to end their tolerance for antisemitic conduct” and that, “all members of the university community – including staff, students and visitors – who promote antisemitic rhetoric or harassment of Jewish students or academics must be held accountable.”
She calls for wide authority to oversee universities including:
- Preparing a report card on each university’s responses to antisemitism
- Working with TEQSA against “a dangerous trajectory of normalised antisemitism in many university courses and campuses.”
- Withholding funding from universities, programmes or individuals “that facilitate enable or fail to act against antisemitism.”
Plus, the Envoy “will, where possible, establish that all public grants provided to university centres, academics or researchers can be subject to termination where the recipient engages in antisemitic or otherwise discriminatory or hateful speech or actions.”
Ms Segal also proposes a judicial inquiry commencing at the start of next year if significant problems remain as assessed by the Envoy’s report card. The inquiry would cover, “the investigation of foreign sources of funding for antisemitic activities and academics at universities.”
Universities Australia chief Luke Sheehy responded yesterday that universities work “constructively” with Government against antisemitism.
Prime Minister Albanese did not comment yesterday on oversight of universities. Nor did Education Minister Jason Clare, who later said the Government “will carefully consider the report recommendations and consult with key stakeholders.”
He added that the Government would also consider the Race Relations Commissioner’s final report on racism at universities. Mr Clare is on the record calling on TEQSA to ensure universities protect students, according to their codes of conduct.