A judge would investigate antisemitism at universities
A private bill from Senator Sarah Henderson would have a judge look into how Jewish students and staff are treated at uni. The judge would also look at how unis have responded.
Official name: Commission of Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities Bill 2024
- A judge, or a former judge, would lead an investigation into hate against Jewish people at Australian unis.
- It would have the same strong powers as a Royal Commission, the strongest kind of public investigation. It could make people give evidence.
- It would look at what happened before and after the Hamas attacks in Israel on 7 October 2023. Hamas is an armed group Australia lists as a terror group.
- The bill died in 2025, was put back on the Senate's list, and is still waiting for a vote.
Who it affects
- Jewish students and staff: The probe would focus on their safety and the harassment they have faced at uni.
- Unis and their leaders: Uni heads and the boards that govern unis would have their rules and actions checked.
- Student unions and staff unions: Groups such as the National Union of Students and the National Tertiary Education Union could be looked at. These are the main national groups for uni students and uni staff.
- Student clubs and campus groups: What they did, or did not do, to protect Jewish people at uni could be looked at.
Jewish students face campus hatred
Antisemitism means hate of, or bias against, Jewish people. Senator Henderson says it has been a problem at Australian unis for decades.
Her bill points to a survey from August 2023. Almost two-thirds of Jewish uni students said they had faced this hate at uni. And 19% said they had stayed away from uni at some point in the past year because of it.
Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023. The bill says hate against Jews at unis hit record levels after that. It says unis have failed to deal with it.
Who runs the inquiry
The minister would have to pick a judge to lead the probe. It could be a judge or former judge of the High Court or the Federal Court. It could also be from the Federal Circuit and Family Court, or a state or territory Supreme Court. These are all senior courts.
Staff from the government department could be lent to help. While working on it, they would take orders from the judge.
What it looks into
The probe would look at hate against Jewish people at unis. That includes harassment, threats and violence. It would also look at support for banned terror groups that oppose Jews, such as Hamas and Hizballah. And it would look at calls for violence against Jews.
It would ask if unis, the watchdogs over unis, unions and student clubs did enough. Did they protect Jewish students, staff and visitors?
It would check if unis have agreed on a meaning of antisemitism. One example is the meaning used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. That is a group of countries that keeps alive the memory of the Holocaust, the Nazi murder of Jews in World War II. It would look at how unis handle complaints and punish rule-breakers. It would look at campus security and what is taught in courses.
It would ask if Jewish students can safely wear symbols such as a Star of David, the six-pointed Jewish star. Another is a kippah, a small Jewish cap. And it would ask if staff refuse to work with Jewish or Israeli academics. Academics are uni teachers and researchers.
The judge would then make suggestions. These could cover uni rules, new laws, education and powers for ministers to step in.
The inquiry's powers
A Royal Commission is the strongest kind of public investigation in Australia. This probe would be treated as if it were one.
That means it could make people give evidence and hand over papers. It could hear evidence in private, so witnesses need not fear payback.
It would not have to follow the usual court rules about evidence. It could hold hearings anywhere in Australia or overseas.
Like a Royal Commission, it would not be bound by privacy law. Nor would it be bound by the law that lets people ask the government for papers. The minister could make extra rules to help it run. But those rules could not make crimes or taxes.
Waiting in the Senate
Senator Sarah Henderson brought the bill into the Senate on 25 June 2024. The Senate debated it on several days in 2024 and in February 2025.
It died when the last Parliament ended on 21 July 2025. It was put back on the Senate's list of business on 2 September 2025.
It is still before the Senate. To become law, it would need to pass the Senate and then the House of Representatives. Then the Governor-General would have to sign it. The Governor-General is the King's representative in Australia. It would start the day after that.
In January 2026 the government set up its own Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. Social cohesion means how well people from different groups get along. This came after the terror attack on a Jewish celebration at Bondi Beach on 14 December 2025. That attack killed 15 people.
Its journey through Parliament
| 25 Jun 2024 | Senate: Introduced and read a first time |
| 25 Jun 2024 | Senate: Second reading moved |
| 27 Jun 2024 | Senate: Second reading debate |
| 03 Jul 2024 | Senate: Second reading debate |
| 06 Feb 2025 | Senate: Second reading debate |
| 21 Jul 2025 | Senate: Lapsed at end of Parliament |
| 02 Sep 2025 | Senate: Restored to Notice Paper |