The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion is set to begin its first public hearings, with a focus on sharing harrowing examples of antisemitism in Australia. During the opening address, counsel assisting the commission, Zelie Heger SC, highlighted some of the most disturbing cases, including an incident involving children on a school bus.
Heger emphasized that antisemitic abuse is not limited to adults targeting other adults. She revealed that perpetrators have included both adults and children, with one particularly distressing example involving a student who told a Jewish classmate that Hitler should have gassed them all.
Heger also noted that the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, marked a significant turning point for antisemitism in Australia. This event has led to increased awareness and concern about the rise of antisemitic attitudes and actions within the country.
In addition to Heger, Richard Lancaster SC is assisting the commission. He outlined plans for future hearing blocks, which will include investigations into the circumstances surrounding the Bondi Beach terror attack. The commission will also focus on antisemitism on social media and its potential role in radicalisation. Universities and other public institutions are expected to be part of future public hearings.
The commission will use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, which states: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.”
Sheina Gutnick, the daughter of Reuven Morrison, a victim of the Bondi Beach terror attack, is the first witness before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion when public hearings begin on Monday. Her father was killed while trying to protect others during the attack on December 14.
Former High Court judge Virginia Bell will preside over the first block of public hearings in Sydney. The focus will be on the definition of antisemitism and the lived experiences of Jewish Australians.
Other witnesses expected to appear on Monday include Rabbi Benjamin Elton from The Great Synagogue and Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. Ryvchin’s former home in Dover Heights was firebombed during Sydney’s so-called summer of hate.
The first block of hearings will commence at 10am and continue until Friday, May 15. Judge Bell recently released her interim report, which focused on NSW Police and security agencies and possible failures that may have contributed to the Bondi Beach terrorist attack. This tragic event resulted in the deaths of 15 people, most of whom were Jewish, on the first night of Hanukkah last year.
As of April 30, the royal commission reported receiving more than 7,500 submissions, with the majority coming from New South Wales, followed by Victoria. Over 4,000 respondents identified as Jewish, while more than 1,000 did not identify as Jewish. The remaining respondents preferred not to specify their identity.
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