Universities would have to adopt antisemitism definition
Julian Leeser is a Liberal member of Parliament. His private bill, one the government did not bring, would write one well-known meaning of antisemitism into two education laws. Universities and people with research grants would have to follow it. If they do not, they could lose their right to run or their money.
Official name: Antisemitism in Higher Education Bill 2026
- A meaning of antisemitism written by a group of countries would become law for unis and research grants.
- Unis would have to stop, fight and respond to antisemitism to stay registered.
- Research grants would come with a rule that no one on the project spreads or helps antisemitism.
- Grants already given would be cancelled by themselves if not updated within six months.
- It was brought to the House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament, on 12 October 2026.
Who it affects
- Jewish students, teachers, staff and visitors: Unis would have to set up safety, complaint and support plans for them.
- Universities and other colleges that teach degrees: They would have to use the meaning and act against antisemitism. The national uni watchdog could judge them on it.
- Researchers with grants from the national research funding body: Their grants would say they must not spread or help antisemitism, or the grant could end.
- Students and staff on campus: They could be punished, or banned from campus, for antisemitic acts. Unis would act against boycotts of Jewish or Israeli academics, the people who teach and research at unis.
Antisemitism at universities
This bill is about antisemitism. That means hate of Jewish people, or unfair views about them. The bill deals with unis. It also deals with research paid for by the Australian Research Council. That is the government body that hands out money for research.
The bill's notes say the aim is to protect Jewish students, teachers, staff and visitors. They say it also aims to make unis and grant holders answer for what they do.
It would change two laws. One is the Australian Research Council Act 2001.
The other is the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011. That law sets up the national uni watchdog. The watchdog registers unis and checks they meet set standards.
Who brought the bill
This is a private bill. That means the government did not bring it. Julian Leeser MP brought it to the House of Representatives on 12 October 2026. He is a member of the Liberal Party.
A legal definition
The bill would put the same meaning into both laws. It comes from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. That is a group of countries that works on teaching about the Holocaust and remembering it. The Holocaust was the Nazi murder of six million Jews during World War Two.
The words are copied as they stood on the group's website on 14 December 2025. So later changes to the website would not change the law.
The main meaning says antisemitism is "a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews". It can be aimed at people or their things. It can be aimed at Jewish community groups or places of worship.
A note gives eleven examples that could count, depending on the setting. They include calling for harm to Jews. They include saying the Holocaust did not happen. They include claiming Jews control the media or government.
Others are about Israel. One is comparing what Israel's government does now to the Nazis. Another is blaming all Jews for what Israel does.
The note also says something about Israel. Criticism of Israel like that aimed at any other country "cannot be regarded as antisemitic". The bill's notes say this line is a key part of the meaning.
Rules for research grants
The research funding body gives money for research. When it does, it signs a deal with the group doing the research. The bill would make every deal include a new rule.
The group, and every researcher on the project, must not spread, help or boost antisemitism.
The funding body has rules on who can apply for grants. Those rules would have to shut out some requests. These are requests linked to a group, research program or project that does those things.
The funding body's board would also have to make any other rules it thinks it needs. These would make sure grant money is not used this way.
Updating existing grants
Some grants would already be approved when the law starts. These would have six months to be changed to include the new rule. If a grant is not changed in time, it would be cancelled by itself.
The notes say no one would make a choice about each grant. There would be no warning and no review before a grant ends this way.
Say a uni team is two years into a five-year project. If its grant is not updated within six months, the money would stop.
New duties for universities
Every registered uni or college would have a new rule it must meet to stay registered. It would have to use the meaning "for all purposes". It would have to make sure it stops, fights and responds to antisemitism.
The bill lists steps it must take. It must say in public that it rejects antisemitism. It must understand how antisemitism shows up today.
It must look again at its rules and how it makes people follow them. It must look at its systems for punishment and complaints. It must check whether it treats antisemitism differently from other unfair treatment.
It must also have plans to keep Jewish people on campus physically safe. These would cover showing cultural and religious symbols. They would also cover banning or throwing out people for antisemitic acts.
Unis would need rules to stop staff and students from quietly boycotting Jewish or Israeli academics, unis, students or staff. A boycott means refusing to work with someone.
They would have to keep antisemitic content out of course material and classes. They would also have to support people who face antisemitism on or off campus.
Checking universities
The uni watchdog judges unis against a set of basic standards. These are called the Threshold Standards. Every uni or college must meet them.
The bill says those standards must include a way to check whether a uni meets the new antisemitism rule.
The new rule would apply to every uni or college straight away. That includes those already registered. They would not wait until they next renew.
Start date
The law would start the day after it is signed into law. The Governor-General, the King's representative, signs bills into law.
Mr Leeser brought the bill to the House of Representatives on 12 October 2026. That day he also started the debate on its main idea.
The House would now need to debate it and pass it. Then the Senate, the other house of Parliament, would need to do the same.
Private bills need the government to make time for them. Many never get a vote.
Its journey through Parliament
| 12 Oct 2026 | House of Representatives: Introduced and read a first time |
| 12 Oct 2026 | House of Representatives: Second reading moved |