Leeser to Labor: ‘vote for your own antisemitism policy’
Member for Berowra tells Parliament universities had responded to instructions to tackle antisemitism by arguing over the definition of the word
Shadow education minister Julian Leeser introduced a private member’s bill on antisemitism in universities to Parliament on Monday, calling it a circuit breaker and urging the government to support it.
The Antisemitism in Higher Education Bill 2026 would do two things: require a consistent national definition of antisemitism — the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition — on every Australian university campus and in taxpayer-funded research supported by the Australian Research Council, and require universities to prevent, combat and respond to antisemitism, while barring ARC grant recipients from using funds to promote, enable or amplify it.
“How can we fight antisemitism effectively if we do not even agree what the word means?” Leeser told the House. “What do we expect of our universities, if not to prevent, combat and respond to antisemitism?”
He noted the IHRA definition has been adopted by the Albanese government and all state governments, is accepted by the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, and is used by the National Student Ombudsman.
“To Labor I say this: support this bill. I am asking for you to vote for your own policy. I am asking you to set it down in law,” he said.
comments