Open letter against the adoption of the Australian Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism’s Plan

 

 Academics against racism

We, the undersigned university researchers, educators, students and professional staff, call on the Australian Government to reject the unprecedented attack on academic freedom and the autonomy of universities made in the recent report and attendant statement by the Australian Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal.

Academic freedom — the freedom to hold critical views informed by evidence — is essential to the proper functioning of a democratic society. It is protected by Australian law; it is also protected by individual universities’ enterprise bargaining agreements. Universities are spaces in which criticism of powerful institutions such as state actors needs to be carried out for a robust and democratic society to flourish.

The measures called for in this report are an extraordinary attempt to place higher education under the control of a political lobby. The envoy’s recommendations, which have been described as Trumpian, include imposing the highly controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism on universities, stripping universities of government funding in certain circumstances, establishing a commission of inquiry into campus antisemitism, and working with TEQSA to interfere in university courses and have oversight over university curricula. It is the envoy who would adjudicate university compliance via a report card. As experts have pointed out, these measures are an overreach of the envoy’s terms of reference, with the envoy seeking to expand her powers by acting as a regulator.

Segal’s recommendations are a threat to the principle of academic freedom, just like the suggestion that she should be permitted to “monitor media” poses an unacceptable threat to the freedom of the press. These proposed measures have nothing to do with combating antisemitism, and everything to do with limiting and censoring criticism of Israel and stifling freedom of speech on Palestine. Segal is a staunch Zionist and the former president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. In one of her first public speeches after assuming the envoy role, Segal listed examples of what she considers to be systemic forms of antisemitism that ought to be tackled. These included “posters, graffitis, boycott Israel stickers”, signs saying “Israel is genocidal”, teaching Israel/Palestine using frameworks of apartheid, settler colonialism, and genocide, and wearing a keffiyeh. This context is an important guideline to understanding how the envoy might implement aspects of the report if enabled.

Kenneth Stern, the drafter of the IHRA definition and director of the Bard Center for the Study of Hate, has stated it would be a “disaster” if Australia adopts Segal’s recommendations and that it would reinforce trends of “McCarthyism.” He warned that adoption of the IHRA does not “not only harm democracy, it blinds us to how antisemitism actually works.” Amnesty International Australia also warned that Segal’s report “undermines fundamental civil and political rights, stifles protest, and risks deepening community divisions.”

The Envoy’s report is not grounded in contemporary anti-racism scholarship or practice. It treats antisemitism as if it occurs in isolation from other forms of racism and disconnects the struggle against antisemitism from the struggle against other forms of racism. Universities have a duty to ensure all students are protected from racism and that academic freedom is maintained for everyone. Treating antisemitism as an exceptional form of racism undermines these core universal principles. Universities have extensive existing policies in antiracism and discrimination. In addition, Australia has numerous legal and other safeguards against racial discrimination including the Racial Discrimination Act and the Equal Opportunity acts that exist in most states and territories.

This potential oversight and intervention into the University sector by the Special Envoy works in concert with recent, highly regrettable developments in University governance around antisemitism. The widespread adoption by Universities Australia of a version of IHRA definition of antisemitism effectively means that speech critical of Israel will be automatically deemed antisemitic. This is so even as a Federal Court of Australia decision has drawn a strong distinction between critique of Israel and Zionism on the one hand, and antisemitism on the other.

In light of all these facts, we call on the government to reject the Special Envoy’s report and to take real steps to combat all racism equally and ensure that universities are protected from political interference. We also call Universities Australia, the G08, and our own universities to take a firm stand against these recommendations and to protect academic freedom, freedom of speech, and rights of protest.

 

If you wish to add your name to the letter, please use this form.

 

Associate Professor Maria Giannacopoulos, UNSW Sydney
Dr Daniel Mcloughlin, University of New South Wales
Professor Luke McNamara, University of NSW
Professor Ghassan Hage, University of Melbourne
A/Professor Susan Engel, University of Wollongong
Dr Michael Griffiths, University of Wollongong
Siad Darwish, Research Associate, University of Melbourne
Dr Micaela Sahhar, RMIT University
Dr Nick Riemer, University of Sydney
Dr Lana Tatour, University of New South Wales 
Dr Rusaila Bazlamit, RMIT University
Dr Sophie Rigney, RMIT University
Tom Short, PhD Candidate and sessional tutor, RMIT
Dr Noam Peleg, University of New South Wales
Dr Laresa Kosloff, Senior Lecturer RMIT University
Aimee Howard RMIT university
Dr Jordana Silverstein, University of Melbourne
Dr Michael Edwards, University of Sydney
Dr Naama Carlin, UNSW
Dr David Brophy, University of Sydney
Associate Professor Lucia Sorbera, The University of Sydney
Professor Amanda Wise, Macquarie University
Professor Michael McDonnell, University of Sydney
Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, Macquarie University
Dr Ihab Shalbak, University of Sydney
Professor Lucas Lixinski, UNSW Sydney
Professor Kathy Bowrey, UNSW
Dr Kev Dertadian, University of New South Wales
Dr Ann El Khoury, University of Sydney
Molly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of New South Wales
Dr Andrew Whelan, University of Wollongong
Dr Angela Kintominas, University of New South Wales
Dr Annabel Dulhunty, Australian National University
Professor Kirsten Ainley
Dr Tamara Kayali Browne, Deakin University
Dr Anne Décobert, Senior Lecturer, University of Melbourne
Marcelo Svirsky, University of Wollongong
Dr Priya Kunjan, RMIT University
Dr Joseph van Buuren, RMIT University
Anna Cameron, PhD candidate, RMIT University
Anwyn Hocking, PhD Candidate RMIT University
Dr Eugenia Flynn, RMIT University
Associate Professor Elise Klein, Australian National University
Professor Karima Laachir, Australian National University
Dr Francis Markham, Australian National University
Professor Sango Mahanty, Australian National University
Dr Burcu Cevik-Compiegne, ANU
Associate Professor Phillip Wadds, University of New South Wales
Associate Professor Jessica Whyte, UNSW
Associate Professor Srinjoy Bose, UNSW Sydney
Shohini Sengupta, HDR candidate, UNSW
Katherine Newman, UNSW
Dr Ntina Tzouvala, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law and Justice, UNSW
Sahiba Maqbool, Academic, La Trobe
Zainab Rifaath Anver, University of New South Wales
Dr Souheir Edelbi, Western Sydney University
Aman, University of New South Wales (PhD candidate)
Dr Ben Silverstein, Australian National University
Professor Bina D’Costa
Associate Professor Meera Ashar, Australian National University
Dr Astrid Lorange, UNSW
Associate Professor Zora Simic, UNSW
Dr Jamal Nabulsi, Griffith University
A/Prof Michael Richardson, UNSW
Dr. Stephen Pascoe, University of New South Wales
Dr. Valentina Baú, Western Sydney University
Dr Helena Pacitti, University of New South Wales
Professor Caroline Lenette, UNSW
Dr. Leia Greenslade, Western Sydney University
Dr. Selda Dagistanli, Western Sydney University
Professor Linda Briskman, Western Sydney University
Dr Shima Shahbazi/WSU
Juan Salazar (Professor, Western Sydney University)
Caitlin Murphy, Melbourne Law School
Dr Kathleen Openshaw, Western Sydney University
Dr Liyana Kayali, University of Sydney
Dr Ryan Thorneycroft, Western Sydney University
Emeritus Professor Tony Bennett, Western Sydney University
Dr Maria Bhatti, School of Law, WSU
Farnaz Farid, Western Sydney University
Prof Greg Noble, Western Sydney University
Dr Daniele Fulvi, Western Sydney University
Dr Melissa Phillips, Western Sydney University
Professor Louise Crabtree-Hayes, Western Sydney University
Professor Michael Head, Western Sydney University
Emeritus Professor David Rowe, Western Sydney University
Associate Professor Quah Ee Ling, Western Sydney University
Associate Professor Alison Holland, Macquarie University
Dr Jenna Condie, Western Sydney University
Associate Professor Eve Vincent, Macquarie University
Professor Alana Lentin, Western Sydney University
Professor Nichole Georgeou, University of Western Sydney
Sadia Hossain, Western Sydney University
Chaya Kasif, Macquarie University PhD candidate
Dr Cecelia Cmielewski, Western Sydney Universitysity
Dr Emma Thomas, UNSW
Dr Rachel Yuen-Collingridge, Macquarie University
Associate Professor Matthew Zagor, Australian National University
Professor Paul James, Western Sydney University
Siobhain O’Leary, Western Sydney University
Dr. Julie Macken Western Sydney University
Aprajita Sarcar, UNSW
Fia Hamid-Walker/Melbourne Law School
Tim Delany, University of Melbourne, PhD candidate
Dr Liz Strakosch, University of Melbourne
Dr Lisa Radford, VCA, University of Melbourne
Dr Sahar Ghumkhor, University of Melbourne
Dr André Dao
George Wood, PhD candidate and tutor, University of Melbourne
Dr Wajeehah Aayeshah, University of Melbourne
Associate Lecturer, Sophie Knezic, The University of Melbourne
A/Prof Nick Apoifis, UNSW
Dr. Matthew Taft, University of Melbourne
Mairead Murray, University of Melbourne
Min-Hui Law, Researcher, University of Melbourne,
Dr Nathan Gardner Molina, University of Melbourne
Dr Naama Blatman, University of NSW
Dr Elliot Dolan-Evans, Monash University
Dr Giles Fielke, Monash University
Dr Markela Panegyres, University of South Australia
Dr Kim Munro
Dr Kiron Robinson, University of Melbourne
Tyler Gleason, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
A/Prof Tanja Dreher, UNSW
Sam Bateman, University of Melbourne
A/Prof Sukhmani Khorana, UNSW
Dr. Ayesha Jehangir, University of NSW
Dr Oishik Sircar, University of Melbourne
Morgan Flack, University of Melbourne professional staff
Dr Marziya Mohammedali, Curtin University 
Andrew Sutherland, Victorian College of the Arts/University of Melbourne
Dr Simon Stevens, Edith Cowan University
Dr Polly L Bennett, Consultant Researcher
Associate Professor Ben Etherington, Western Sydney University
Lindsay McCabe, Western Sydney University
Tess Ritchie, University of Melbourne, professional staff
Dr Jonathan Dunk, Deakin University
Dr Rachel Loney-Howes
Dr Michel Edenborough, Western Sydney University
Dr Sky Croeser, Curtin University, Senior Lecturer
Dr Sasha Wilmoth, University of Melbourne
Rosie Isaac, Monash University
Dr madelaine moore, University of New South Wales
Dr Anastasia Murney, UNSW
Dr. Michael Karadjis, Western Sydney University
Dr Micaela Pattison, Flinders University
Eleanor Colla, University of Melbourne
Amra Lee PhD researcher, ANU
Alison Whittaker, University of Technology Sydney
A/Prof Julia Dehm, La Trobe University
Dr Jason Todd, University of Sydney
Professor Chris Cunneen, Jumbunna Institute, UTS
Dr Jeff Sparrow, University of Melbourne
Jack Yasmineh
Joseph Tedeschi, Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion, University of Technology Sydney
Dr Anam Bilgrami, Senior Research Fellow, Macquarie University
A/Prof Honni van Rijswijk, University of Technology Sydney
Dana Young, University of Melbourne
Dr Samanthi Gunawardana, Monash
Dr Jarrod Hore, UNSW
Dr Liam Ward, School of Media & Communication, RMIT University
Helen Hughes, Senior Lecturer, Monash Univeristy
Dr Zena Kassir, UNSW
Angelita Biscotti, PhD candidate, La Trobe University
Nathan Zhao, Macquarie University, Professional Staff
Siri Hayes, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne
Emeritus Professor David Dixon UNSW Law and Justice
Dr. Girish Lala, Western Sydney University
Dr David Corbet, UNSW, sessional academic
Michael Errity, University of Melbourne, Professional Staff
Dr Lobna Yassine, University of Sydney
Professor Sujatha Fernandes, University of Sydney
Dr Emma Mitchell, Macquarie University
Dr Marivic Wyndham, Honorary Fellow, University of Technology Sydney
John Curtin Distinguished Emerita Professor Suvendrini Perera, Curtin University
Dr Richard Joyce, Melbourne Law School
Dr Maree Higgins, UNSW Sydney
Dr Antonina Gentile, Macquarie University
Professor Clare Wright, La Trobe University
Dr Anne Barnes, University of New South Wales
Dr Alison Gibberd, University of Melbourne
Professor Christopher Michaelsen, School of Law, Western Sydney University
Dr Vanessa Newby
Narelle Desmond, University of Melbourne
Hoang Tran Nguyen, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
Jasmin Safadi, Student
Dr Alex Martinis Roe, University of Melbourne
Azza Zein, VCA, University of Melbourne
Katie Paine University of Melbourne, Professional Staff
Dr Ghena Krayem, University of Sydney
Dr Sharon Aris UNSW
Dr Susie Latham, Western Sydney University
Dr Frances Flanagan, University of Technology Sydney
Dr Andrew Brooks, University of NSW
James McVicar, National Education Officer (National Union of Students)
Professor Melinda Cooper
Dr Mathew Abbott, Federation University Australia
Maham Aziz, University of Melbourne
Dr Jacqui Baker, Murdoch University
Professor Justine Nolan, UNSW Sydney
Dr Caitlin Biddolph, University of Technology Sydney
Dr Can Yalcinkaya, Macquarie University
Assoc Prof (Hon) Patrick Kilby, Australian National University
Dr Melissa Johnston, The University of Queensland
Dr Alistair Sisson, Research Fellow, Macquarie University
Dr. Genevieve Ritchie, Western Sydney University
Dr Ingrid Matthews, UNSW
Professor Denis Byrne
Amanda Salvatore, University of Melbourne
Lorenza Lazzati PhD Candidate University of Melbourne
Professor Lan Anh Hoang
Dr Aydogan Kars, Monash University
Dr. Angie Sassano, Monash University
Professor Susan Rees, UNSW Sydney
Associate Professor Jumana Bayeh, Macquarie University
Professor Philippa Collin , Western Sydney University
Grace Dulawan, University of Technology Sydney
Dr Chris Bradly, University of Melbourne
Tanvee Nandan, PhD Student, University of Melbourne
Associate Professor Daniel Mathews, Monash University
Professor Dianne Otto, University of Melbourne
Dr Johanna Commins, University of Melbourne
Michael Bader, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
Dr Claerwen O’Hara, University of Melbourne
Therese Keogh, PhD candidate, University of Melbourne
Alex Bowen, University of Melbourne
Naomi Segal, UNSW
A/Prof Crystal McKinnon
Dr Debbie Hocking, Monash University, Adjunct Reseach Fellow
Dr Georgia van Toorn, UNSW
Rachel Kennedy, PhD Candidate, UNSW
Dr Sara Cheikh Husain, Monash University, sessional academic
Haris Jamil, University of Melbourne PhD candidate
Mumtahana Sadia Rahman
Farhad Ahamed, Western Sydney University
Jon Tjhia, RMIT University
A/Prof Mary Anne Kenny, Murdoch University
Gwenaël Velge, Murdoch University
Finola Laughren, University of Sydney
Dr Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, University of South Australia
Jane Barton, Univeristy of Sydney staff
Matte Rochford, University of Sydney
Associate Professor Erin Fitz-Henry, University of Melbourne
Emeritus Professor Jane Kenway. Monash University.
Amber Loomis, UTS
Dr Natalia Maystorovich Chulio, University of Sydney
Guy Webster, University of Melbourne
Rebecca Malek, University of Sydney
Ulya Pipin Jamson (Phd Candidate), The University of Melbourne
Nadeem Malik
Professor Barbara Baird AM, Flinders University
Professor Mohamad Abdalla AM, University of South Australia
Mia Campbell, University of Technology Sydney, student and UTS Students’ Association President
Professor Deborah Lupton
John Sebastian, PhD candidate, University of Melbourne
Jo Church, University of Melbourne
Dr. Daej Arab, University of Sydney
Professor Joseph Pugliese, Macquarie University
Associate Professor Sean Lowry
Professor Fran Baum AO
Assoc. Prof Sarah Milne, Australian National University
Dr Sophie Rudolph, University of Melbourne
Sophie Cotton, University of Sydney PhD student
Dr Alex Luke, University of Sydney
Lem Baguot, (Tutor at Phoenix P-12 Community, and aStudent at La Trobe University)
An Nguyen, University of Sydney
Professor Bina Fernandez, University of Melboune
Professor Halim Rane, Griffith University
Associate Professor Zuleyha Keskin, Charles Sturt University
Associate Professor Debbie Bargallie, Griffith University
Professor Bruce Buchan, Griffith University.
Dr Duncan Wallace, Monash University
Dr Jan A. Ali
Associate Professor,Adis Duderija,Griffith University
Dr Samid Suliman, Griffith University
Dr. Robert Austin Henry, independent scholar
Dylan Asafo, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
A/Prof. Erin Sebo, Flinders University
Associate Professor Jane Carey, University of Wollongong
Dr Miriam Deprez, Griffith University
Grace May Howe, The University of Adelaide
Dr Philippa Smales, University of Melbourne
Professor Matthew Fitzpatrick, Flinders UNiversity
Dr. Shvetal Vyas Pare, Flinders University
Zoe Keys, Lecturer and PhD Candidate, Flinders University
Dr. Adil Hasan Khan, University of Melbourne
Maureen MacGinley, Lecturer University of New South Wales
Professor Heather Burke, Flinders Universit
Dr Madison Cartwright, UNSW Sydney
Associate Professor Jung-Sook Lee, University of New South Wales
Associate Professor Catherine Kevin, Flinders University
Dr Pallave Dasari, University of Adelaide
Dr John McCarthy, Flinders University
Dr Andy Kaladelfos, University of New South Wales
Dr Mahsheed Ansari, Charles Sturt University
Dr Sarah Kennedy Bates, University of New South Wales
Dr Phillipa Evans, University of NSW
Dr Alexis Vassiley, Edith Cowan University
Dr Kamilia Al-Eriani, University of Melbourne
Leila Khaled (PhD Candidate) Charles Sturt University
Sawsan Zadeh Charles Sturt University PhD candidate
Dr Yao-Tai Li, UNSW
Dr Kasun Ubayasiri, Griffith University
Dr Tatjana Seizova-Cajic, The University of Sydney
Dr. Sadeq Ansari
Dr Edward Hurcombe, RMIT University
Dr Bunty Avieson, Uinversity of Sydney
Dr Bridget Backhaus, Griffith University
Dr Glynn Greensmith, Curtin University
Dr. Jay Daniel Thompson, RMIT University
Rinto muhammadsyah azhar charles sturt university phd candidate
Dr. Jeff Garmany, University of Melbourne
Associate Professor David Nolan, University of Canberra
Professor Barton L. Anderson, University of Sydney
Jeremy Carr, UNSW Sydney
Tian Zhang, Monash University, PhD candidate
Professor Dennis Altman AM LaTrobe Univerisyt
Sulagna Basu, University of Sydney
Visiting Associate Professor Joseph M Fernandez, Curtin University
Professor Susan Forde, Griffith University
Kari James, PhD candidate, University of Queensland
Kate Jones, University of Melbourne student
Hamish Townsend, Griffith University
Dr. Ian Woolford, La Trobe University
Ramzan Nazim Khan, UW@
Dr Samiha Olwan, Murdoch University
Shyam Drury, University of Notre Dame Australia
Dr Kayt Davies, Curtin University
Dr Sanam Mustafa, University of Australia
Dr Clare Cooper
Associate Professor Anna Copeland
Dr Jeannette Walsh, UNSW Sydney
Dr Jeff Rickertt, The University of Queensland
Sarouche Razi, Univeristy of Sydney
Associate Professor Ali Baker Flinders University
Professor David Robie, Asia Pacific Media Network (APMN)
Dr Joyce Wu, University of New South Wales
Dr Ben Rich, Curtin University
Kally Whitehead, Teaching Support (Professional) – Curtin University
Dr. Grace Brooks, University of Western Australia
Dr Rebecca Mayo, ANU
Emerita Professor, Monash University
Dr Monika Barthwal-Datta, UNSW Sydney
Dr Natalie Osborne, Griffith University
Dr. Mohammed Alsudairi, Australian National University
Dr Phil Chilton, Curtin University
Professor Susanne Schech, Flinders University
Dr Mike Roberts, UNSW Sydney
Dr Courtney Babb, Curtin University
Dr Thomas H. Rich
Dr Suleyman Sertkaya, Senior Lecturer, Charles Sturt Unviersity
Dr Victoria Mason, Murdoch University
Dr Ian Wilson, Murdoch University
Professor Scott Poynting, Adjunct, Queensland University of Technology
Dr. Dustin Barter, John Monash Scholar, University of Cambridge
Professor Sundhya Pahuja University if Melbourne
A. Prof. Penny Griffin, UNSW Sydney
Professor Shahar Hameiri, University of Queensland
Professor Melanie White, UNSW Sydney
Professor Kanishka Jayasuriya , Murdoch University
Rosalie Miller, Casual tutor and PhD Candidate, Flinders University
Jane Morphett, University of Adelaide PhD student
Associate Professor Priya Chacko
Dr Josephine Mckenzie, University of South Australia
Dr Natalie Aboustate, Research Fellow Adelaide University
Natalie Jane Thomas, PhD Candidate and Casual Academic, The University of Adelaide
Dr Amanda H A Watson, Australian National University
Dr Emily Miller, Flinders University
Dr Monique Lewis, Griffith University
Associate Professor Muhammed Yakin, University of Adelaide
Prof Jon Jureidini, Robertson Research Institute, University of Adelaide
Professor Farida Fozdar, Curtin University
Dr Alice Jones, University of Adelaide
Dr Bri McKenzie, Curtin University
Hanan Sahmoud, University of Melbourne
Dr Abigail Diplock, University of South Australia
Dr Tom Chodor, Monash University
Bethany Clark, Curtin University
Jacey Ligthart-Smith, University of Western Australia
Dr Sean Williams, Flinders University
Nadyat El Gawley
Dr Alison Atkinson-Phillips, Murdoch University
Dr Danila Marini, Adelaide University
Professor Shaun McVeigh, University of Melbourne
Dr Joanne Flavel, Adelaide Unversity
Dr Connal Lee Lecturer UniSA

 

https://overland.org.au/2025/07/open-letter-against-the-adoption-of-the-australian-special-envoy-to-combat-antisemitisms-plan/