In another demonstration of the Coalition’s leadership to combat the growing anti-Semitism crisis including on university campuses, the Opposition is calling on the Albanese government to back a National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to anti-Semitism.
The Coalition will seek to introduce the anti-Semitism code by amending the Government’s Universities Accord (National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence) Bill 2025 which is scheduled to be debated in the House of Representatives today.
Shadow Minister for Education, Sarah Henderson, said the Coalition strongly backed a new code to better protect university students and staff from sexual harassment and sexual assault, but an anti-Semitism code must also be implemented.
“There has been an alarming increase in anti-Semitism on university campuses since the horrific Hamas terrorist attack on innocent Israeli citizens on 7 October 2023,” Senator Henderson said.
“While universities have wide-ranging misconduct policies including in relation to racial vilification and discrimination, these rules are often not being appropriately enforced.
“Everyone is entitled to be safe on a university campus including Jewish students and staff.
“Compounded by the weakness of leadership from the Albanese government, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) has been equally deficient in combatting anti-Semitism as it has in combatting gender-based violence.
“A national anti-Semitism code would also address staff safety, an important function given the threats of violence, intimidation and attacks levelled at Jewish academics,” Senator Henderson said.
“In the face of the protest encampments and other incidents which fuelled so much anti-Semitic hate and incitement on campus, Education Minister Jason Clare failed to throw the book at universities. He put his head in the sand and that is a disgrace. That is why a higher education anti-Semitism code is an important step forward.
Like the gender-based violence code, the anti-Semitism code should also require universities to comply with any recommendation of the National Student Ombudsman.
Since October 7, there has been a rise in antisemitic incidents of over 700 per cent, with many of these occurring on campus.
Yet, the Prime Minister has refused to listen to his own anti-Semitism envoy and every major Jewish organisation by backing the Coalition’s proposal for a judicial inquiry into anti-Semitism on university campuses.