The opening hearing of Australia's Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion took place on Tuesday, during which Commissioner Virginia Bell set out three principal terms of the Commission.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Royal Commission on January 8, despite having initially resisted this route in favor of an internal inquiry. However, increasing demands from the Jewish community, political leaders, and public figures for an independent public inquiry in the wake of the Bondi Beach Massacre led to his acquiescence.
The commission will explore the key factors driving antisemitism in Australia, recommendations for law enforcement on antisemitism and for social cohesion, and the circumstances surrounding the December 14 Hanukkah party terrorist attack.
The first term requires the Commission to investigate the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in institutions and society by examining its key drivers in Australia, including religious and ideologically motivated extremism and radicalisation. This includes exploring vectors for extremist content online and in institutions.
The Commission is to report on ways governments can respond to antisemitism.
The starting point for this term is, of course, establishing the definition of antisemitism, which Commissioner Bell noted "is not free of controversy."
Commission will use IHRA antisemitism definition
The Commission will use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance as its base. The Commissioner said the definition itself is uncontroversial, but that at least two of the eleven adjoining examples are.
The Commission's second term requires it to make recommendations to assist law enforcement, border control, immigration, and security agencies to tackle antisemitism.
In addressing this term, the Commission will examine the training of officers of those agencies on how they should respond to antisemitic conduct or the risk of such conduct.
Most importantly, the Commission will review protective security for Jewish places of worship, major sites, educational and cultural facilities, public events, and community leaders.
The third term is the most comprehensive.
It requires the Commission to examine the antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach on the 14th of December 2025, including the lead-up and planning. However, this must not interfere with or prejudice in any way the ongoing criminal proceeding into the attack.
Leading evidence at the Commission from people who may be witnesses in the criminal proceeding would create a risk of prejudicing the proceedings, and for that reason, it will not occur.
The third term of reference also requires the Commission to examine the interaction and information sharing between Commonwealth, State, and Territory agencies and between those agencies and the organizers of the Hanukkah event.
The aim is to ascertain whether Australian intelligence and law enforcement agencies operate at maximum effectiveness and to identify any gaps in the legal and regulatory frameworks that might impede law enforcement's ability to prevent and respond to an attack.
She encouraged anyone to make submissions to the Commission, especially Jewish Australians who have experienced antisemitism, whether at school or at university.
The Commissioner is required to deliver her final report to the Governor-General and the governors of the States not later than the first anniversary of the Bondi massacre.
Richard Lancaster, senior counsel assisting the commission, then spoke to the Commission of "the immense trauma [the Bondi attack] caused Jewish Australians."
"Many others were seriously wounded, and their lives will never be the same. Many people have been left with serious psychological scars from that day," he added.