Antisemitism report confronts sinister threat but punitive solutions risk backfiring

The explosion of hate speech and violence against Jewish institutions, people and property in Australia, and around the world, since 7 October 2023, is widespread, spanning cities and states, public and private discourse. It is ongoing and it is a shocking thing for all Australians to contemplate. There has been fear on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne and many Jews have turned inward, perceiving the wider community as a source of danger and hostility.

The government’s creation of a Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism a year ago was welcomed by the Jewish community as a nationally co-ordinated response to the crisis. Jillian Segal’s report released last week reflects the huge amount of work and consultation she has undertaken to provide that response.

The report addresses the full breadth of Australian society but at its heart is a recognition of the importance of education to counter the ignorance, falsehoods and distortions that have driven much of the antisemitic behaviour we have witnessed. The focus on education is well-founded: younger Australians, who are particularly vulnerable to toxic social media posts and violent imagery without context, need help to build a base of understanding.

The report proposes “to embed Holocaust and antisemitism education” in national and state school curricula. While this appears to be an ambitious goal, it is already partially underway in NSW. From 2027, students will study both World War One and World War Two, with compulsory components about the Holocaust and how it has impacted Australia.