Labor MP Josh Burns, flanked by members of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students in parliament this week. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
In short:
Labor MP Josh Burns is hoping changes to university complaints processes and reporting practices recommended by a parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism on campus can be rushed through in time for the start of the new term.
But Australia's leading universities have declined to give detailed timelines for the changes, with students due to return to campuses within a fortnight.
What's next?
The Labor-led report left the door open to a more extensive judicial review — as had been called for by the Coalition — if universities are found to have failed to act sufficiently on the recommendations following a review.
Australia's top universities won't give a timeline for overhauling their complaints systems after the Labor MP who spearheaded a parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism on campuses called for changes to be rushed through in time for the start of the new semester.
They are however in the process of agreeing to a consistent definition of antisemitism, which was one of the other recommendations made in the report handed down by the Labor-led joint parliamentary committee on human rights this week.
Most university classes are due to restart in the coming fortnight amid heightened tensions spurred by a series of encampments that popped up on campuses across the country last year in response to the war in Gaza.
The inquiry found "brazen antisemitism" had gone unchecked by universities, which led to Jewish students feeling unsafe on campus, and inconsistent policies across the country.
Josh Burns, who is Jewish and chairs the human rights committee, told reporters on Thursday the inquiry was fast-tracked to ensure some of the 10 recommendations could be actioned in time for students' return.
That includes vice-chancellors meeting with Jewish students and staff on "day one" of the semester, he said, as well as changes to complaints processes to make them "easy to use" and "transparently reporting on those processes".
"All of these things can be done, they're practical, and they're straightforward, and they can be done ready for day one," Mr Burns said.
"When students return to universities, they shouldn't be fearful of what might happen to them, they shouldn't be scared that if something does happen to them, that the universities won't take it seriously — because that is what has happened so far."
The Group of Eight board has endorsed a definition of antisemitism which will now be considered by members. (Reuters: Jason Reed)
The government cannot force higher education institutions to adopt the committee's recommendations at all, let alone within a specific time frame, but universities said they were already in the process of implementing changes to guard against antisemitic incidents and improve how they are dealt with.
As a result, the committee left the door open to a judicial inquiry — as has been called for by the Coalition — if the universities' response to the report is deemed inadequate following a review within the year.
Dani Tischmann, co-president of the Australian Union of Jewish Students, welcomed the report on Thursday but said she was dismayed that an inquiry was necessary.
"It should not have taken a parliamentary inquiry to get a straight answer on what universities are doing to address antisemitism," she told reporters at Parliament House.
"We raised our legitimate concerns, we made reasonable requests, and yet this inquiry has made one thing abundantly clear: that we were not listened to."
Work underway to adopt consistent definition of antisemitism
The report also recommended that universities adopt a definition of antisemitism that "closely aligns" with that used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and that they deliver ongoing training about recognising antisemitism to staff, students and leaders.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of antisemitism reads:
"Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities."
That might include "targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as Jewish collectivity", according to the IHRA, but "criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic".
The use of the definition in universities has been criticised by some groups, including one of the drafters of the definition who has warned against it being deployed to stifle academic debate.
Greens senator David Shoebridge labelled the definition "divisive" in additional comments published in the report, noting disappointment in the "politicisation of this committee", while Coalition members called for the requirement that universities adopt the definition to become law.
"It is time the prime minister showed some leadership by setting up a judicial inquiry and backing the Coalition's proposal for a higher education antisemitism code," Shadow education minister Sarah Henderson said on Thursday.
The Group of Eight board said it had endorsed a definition "closely aligned" with the IHRA's which will be considered by members. "This process is currently underway," a spokesperson said.
"Whilst our universities did have long-standing policies and procedures in place to address racism on campus and provide support for students, staff and academics, clearly we need to do more and we are."
Universities won't detail timelines
In response to questions about whether vice-chancellors would meet with students on day one of the new academic year and if they were planning changes to how complaints are managed and reported, the Group of Eight universities acknowledged the report and pointed to ongoing work to combat antisemitism but declined to give specific timelines.
A spokesperson for the University of Melbourne said the institution had already made a series of changes to its complaints processes but that a "more complete review" would happen this year. The spokesperson added that th university would continue to hold meetings with Jewish students and staff.
"We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to eradicate antisemitism and all forms of racism from our campuses," they said.
University responses to anti-Semitism 'inadequate', Labor says
Photo shows A woman with an umbrella walks in the University of Sydney quadrangle.
Monash University noted that they would continue regularly meeting with students and staff and review the report "in line with the many initiatives it has taken in responding in a principled and decisive way to rising antisemitism across the community".
The University of Sydney said they had undertaken a "deep dive" into their complaints processes and were looking to resolve key issues, including "a simpler front door for complaints".
"We respect the important work of the committee, and are on track to deliver many of the recommendations," Provost Professor Annamarie Jagose said.
"We are comprehensively reviewing and updating relevant policies and processes, and our complaints and support procedures — and we know more needs to be done."
A spokesperson for the Australian National University, which recently denied students made antisemitic gestures during a meeting last year, said the director of student experience held weekly meetings with Jewish student representatives, which would continue.
The University of Adelaide and the University of Western Australia said they welcomed the report and were considering the recommendations.
All noted that there was no space for antisemitism on their campuses.
Training programs for staff and students involved with handling complaints, developed by the Monash Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, are also being rolled out across the Group of Eight universities, they said.
"We are committed to extending this training across the higher education sector and have commenced the delivery of training to leaders across a number of universities," a Monash University spokesperson said.
The head of Universities Australia, which represents the country's 39 publicly funded higher education institutions, said the sector was committed to addressing the "scourge" of antisemitism.
"We're working closely and regularly with government and community groups and a lot of this work aligns with the nature of what's been recommended to government," chief executive Luke Sheehy said.
"The committee has done an important job and now we need to focus on action, which is what we're doing."