A “groundswell” of Labor rank-and-file members are urging the government to reject key recommendations from the federal antisemitism envoy, according to an internal lobby group, urging a focus on anti-racism education rather than more contentious ideas such as stripping funding from universities and arts bodies.
Labor Friends of Palestine, an internal campaign group of members and politicians, said it was concerned about anti-Jewish hatred, but would be troubled about wider adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s contested definition of antisemitism, as recommended by Jillian Segal in a wide-ranging plan last week.
Three co-convenors of the group have written to the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, saying they were “deeply concerned” about parts of Segal’s recommendations, describing her ideas about amending immigration law, changing school curriculums or potentially terminating funding to academics and artists as “gross over-reach”. The group is also planning a campaign to gather further support from more Labor party branches.
“There is a groundswell of outrage among rank-and-file Labor members,” Peter Moss, a co-convener of Labor Friends of Palestine, told Guardian Australia.
“There is deep concern about the use of the IHRA definition which has been deployed to stifle criticism of the State of Israel.”
Albanese is currently mulling a response to envoy Segal’s 49 recommendations to stamp out anti-Jewish hate. It is widely expected the government could focus its response on the education and prevention measures in Segal’s plan. More complex recommendations, such as defunding universities or academic grants, would face more significant debate.
Guardian Australia reported on Friday that Segal’s push for the federal government to “require” the IHRA definition “to be used across all levels of government and public institutions” will face pushback from some concerned Labor MPs and party members. That definition is contested in some quarters, with concerns it was increasingly being used to conflate antisemitism with criticism of Israel.
Other Labor voices believed some criticism of Segal’s report had been an overreaction, noting attacks on synagogues as an issue that required action.
Albanese in 2021 committed federal Labor to the IHRA definition, as did then-prime minister Scott Morrison, and then-Labor premier Daniel Andrews in 2022. However it’s understood that any federal push to codify or more widely embed the definition into various sectors would face internal pushback from some federal MPs.
Albanese and Segal have both said legitimate criticism of the Israeli government, including its military actions in Gaza, would not be forbidden.
Moss and his co-conveners told Albanese in their letter that many Labor members would reject the wider adoption of the IHRA definition, claiming it had been “been deployed to stifle criticism of the policies and practices of the State of Israel and undermine the capacity of the Palestinian people to assert their rights under international law”.
The group noted a 2023 open letter from more than 100 Israeli and international civil society organisations – including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union – which asked the United Nations to reject the IHRA definition because it is being “misused” to protect Israel from legitimate criticism.
Moss and the group’s other co-conveners also wrote to the prime minister of their concerns about some of Segal’s recommendations.
“Proposals for amendments to immigration law, changes to school curriculum or reform of funding arrangements for universities and cultural institutions are beyond the scope or expertise of the Envoy and should be rejected,” they wrote.
after newsletter promotion
Segal said on Friday that stripping funding would be a “last resort”, downplaying the potential for such a power to be used.
Labor friends of Palestine said they “share the Government’s concerns about increased reports of antisemitic behaviour – just as we share concerns about increased rates of Islamophobia”.
“However the Plan makes some very broad claims that seem to be designed to create a sense of crisis rather than to foster social cohesion,” they wrote.
Instead they said the government should focus on cultural and educational programs “that promote and celebrate the full diversity of our multicultural society.”
Moss and his co-conveners also urged Albanese to review the antisemitism envoy position itself, suggesting instead a broader-based program to combat all forms of racism. The Labor government also instituted an envoy to combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, who said last week his report would be sent to government in August.
“More than 100 members from around Australia have reached out to Labor Friends of Palestine in the past 24 hours asking us to speak out urgently on this issue,” Moss said.
“Labor members want the prime minister to reject the envoy’s plan and review the envoy’s position.”
