‘Obvious’: Unis to answer on anti-Semitism

A new national student ombudsman will help combat anti-Semitism at Australian universities, Education Minister Jason Clare says.

Mr Clare says Jewish students “don’t feel safe at university” and it was “obvious” anti-Semitism is a problem at tertiary institutions.

“There is no place for the poison of anti-Semitism, whether it’s at university or anywhere else,” Mr Clare told Sky News Sunday Agenda program.

“It’s obvious that it exists in our university ... and I’ve made it clear to all university vice chancellors that they’ve got a responsibility to enforce their codes of conduct.”

A wave of anti-Semitism swept universities after Israel’s incursion into Gaza last year in response to Palestinian militant group Hamas’ brutal October 7 attacks.

Hamas’ attacks killed some 1200, according to Israeli government figures. Hundreds more were taken hostage, including children.

United Nations figures say tens of thousands have been killed in Israel’s response as it attempts to annihilate Hamas in the densely populated Palestinian territory.

Students set up encampments at major universities in Australia, where some of the worst reports of anti-Semitism have come from.

Mr Clare said he asked the university regulator to organise a meeting with the anti-Semitism envoy Jillian Segal and the universities where encampments were set up to “discuss what actions they’ve taken, what improvements they’re taking, or that they’re intending to take”.

“I’ve also asked the race discrimination commissioner to commence a piece of work looking at not just anti-Semitism but racism across our universities and the actions that universities should be taking,” he said.

“And this week, I’ll introduce legislation into the parliament to establish a national student ombudsman that’ll have the power to launch its own investigations, but also take complaints from students about anti-Semitism or any other complaint they wish to make about their experience at university.”