Labor and Coalition back scrutiny of campus anti-Semitism as University of Sydney bans camping

The two sides of politics voted to scrutinise anti-Semitism on university campuses across the country, just two months after Labor effectively shut down debate on a judicial inquiry.

Pro-Palestine protesters occupied a University of Melbourne campus building for a week at the height of encampment protests around the country. Picture: AFP

Labor has backed a Coalition move to scrutinise anti-Semitism on university campuses across the country, two months after it effectively shut down debate on a proposed judicial inquiry into the issue.

Separately, the University of Sydney has updated policies to ban camping on campus and require approvals for activities that use megaphones, erect temporary structures, attach banners to university buildings, or require non-university provided cooking equipment.

The university’s move comes in the wake of the pro-Palestine encampment protest that saw tents pitched on campus for almost two months.

Labor and Coalition senators voted on Thursday to refer to a Senate committee a bill proposing to establish a judicial inquiry into campus anti-Semitism.

The private senator’s bill, introduced by opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Henderson, was similar to one brought by Liberal Jewish MP Julian Leeser in the lower house months ago.

The Senate committee will be able to hold hearings and call witnesses, raising the possibility universities’ management could be called to answer questions about their handling of the recent pro-Palestine protests on campus.

The government two months ago in the House of Representatives effectively shut down debate on Mr Leeser’s bill by voting to adjourn the matter.

The Greens on Thursday voted against the motion, with Mehreen Faruqi accusing the Liberal Party of wanting to “weaponise anti-Semitism, to attack those who are standing up to Israel’s genocide in Gaza”.

Fatima Payman, who resigned from the Labor Party on Thursday after crossing the floor to vote for Palestinian statehood, was not present for the vote.

Senator Henderson said a government-commissioned racism inquiry, to be conducted by the Australian Human Rights Commission, was “woefully inadequate … a Senate inquiry will shine a light on the alarming increase in anti-Semitism at university campuses and demonstrate why a judicial inquiry is so important”.

“This includes holding universities and the Albanese government to account for failing to keep students and staff safe from hate and incitement, including infiltration by extremist groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir,” she said.

Mr Leeser said the inquiry would reinforce the rationale for a judicial inquiry into campus anti-Semitism. “A judicial inquiry is the only way we can begin to tackle the scourge of anti-Semitism that has been plaguing our universities for years,” he said.

“A judicial inquiry is the only way witnesses can give evidence about their experiences, free from reprisals.

“It’s the only way that university chancellors and vice-chancellors can be cross-examined and held to account for their failure to act at universities.

“This is so important because universities are the places where the next generation of leaders are formed.

“What is said and done in universities today creates the culture of Australia tomorrow.”