Royal Commission: Anti-Semitism probe to hear of Jewish students’ 'horrific' abuse

Jewish students will describe their “horrific” experiences with anti-Semitism while pro-Palestine activists defend their freedom of expression as an inquiry turns its focus to universities.

The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion will probe the experiences of students and academics, and investigate university responses when the inquiry shifts public hearings to Melbourne on Monday.

Human Rights Commission president Hugh de Kretser and academic Andy Smidt, who led a SafeWork NSW complaint against Sydney University over its alleged failure to protect Jewish staff, are among the witnesses to be called.

The list includes Students for Palestine’s national co-convener Yasmine Johnson, a Jewish University of Technology Sydney student who will on Monday speak against claims the group’s activism is anti-Semitic.

“We have seen the royal commission extensively smear the pro-Palestine campaign as inherently anti-Semitic,” she told AAP.

“I’m appearing before the royal commission in order to defend the pro-Palestine movement as a movement for justice.”

Freedom of expression was being eroded across higher education, including at her own university, she said.

“We were told we couldn’t use the word genocide on a leaflet we produced and that’s the kind of atmosphere that we’ve seen extended across campuses nationally.”

Multiple Australian universities housed pro-Palestine encampments in 2024 before several were shut down, sparking fears among students and staff that their views were being stifled.

But Education Minister Jason Clare said universities had been “caught flat-footed” by anti-Semitism on their campuses and more still needed to be done.

“I think you’re going to hear some pretty horrific evidence ... in particular from Jewish students, about the abuse that they suffered, the intimidation and the harassment that they experienced at universities,” he told Sky News on Sunday.

From Monday, the government will strengthen university governance standards, including a requirement that institutions adopt anti-racism standards with definitions on anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and racism towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Mr Clare foreshadowed greater powers for the regulator to enforce the regulations, to be introduced in the coming months.

A report from anti-Semitism special envoy Jillian Segal released in July 2025 recommended scrapping funding for universities that failed to tackle the issue adequately.