Liberal MP Julian Leeser has accused the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) of being “frozen by political paralysis” in failing to address antisemitism, and criticised staff who anonymously argued its response to “Israeli war crimes” had been inadequate.
Guardian Australia revealed last month that at least 24 staff across eight teams at the commission wrote anonymously to president Rosalind Croucher at the end of January. The letter expressed “frustration at the commission’s failure to fulfil its mandate as an accredited national human rights institution in regard to Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank”. It argued the commission’s response to date had been inadequate.
In Senate estimates last month, Croucher said staff wellbeing was of paramount concern, but reminded staff that public servants must remain impartial and apolitical under obligations of the Australian public service’s code of conduct.
In a speech to the Cook Society in Melbourne on Wednesday, Leeser criticised the commission’s response to the letter, saying staff concerns should not be paramount for the AHRC.
“The paramount concern should be racism and Jew-hatred and prejudice faced by Australians, not the preciousness of staff,” he said.
“And for the AHRC staff concerned about Australia’s foreign policy, my advice is take it up with the elected government – and when you do, have the courage to put your name to it. Anonymous letters are not worth anyone’s time or energy.”
The Liberal backbencher for the Sydney seat of Berowra and one of the most prominent Jewish MPs in parliament said there had been a “most complete aberration of duty” from the commission, stating the AHRC had published zero pieces or comments condemning antisemitism since 7 October 2023.
He pointed to claims from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) of a 738% increase “in antisemitic attacks on Jewish Australians” and said the commission “has become frozen by political paralysis that has made the commission fearful of acknowledging and engaging with the antisemitism that Jewish Australians are facing”.
Leeser said while the commission had been focused on protecting the rights of pro-Palestine protesters, there had been nothing about the “evil actions of Hamas” or reference to the hostages, and only statements of “bland generalities” on antisemitic hatred.
In a statement, Croucher said the commission had been consistently active in condemning antisemitism, Islamophobia and other racism linked to the conflict.
“The commission has repeatedly called for the human rights of all people to be upheld, both here in Australia as well as in Israel and Palestine,” she said.
“Racist, hateful incidents against Australia’s Jewish communities are of great concern to the commission. Suggestions to the contrary are untrue and harmful to those communities. All racism is of equal concern, no matter which community is targeted.”
The claim of a 738% increase – covering 662 incident reports to ECAJ in October and November last year – includes many antisemitic incidents. But according to the ECAJ report, incidents also include criticism of Israel or support for Palestinians, including placards at protests reading “end the Palestinian holocaust” and “Is genocide a Jewish value??? Boycott Israel!”.
Leeser condemned the most recent statement from the commission, which noted “powerful” comments from the UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, who said the war in Gaza must end and condemned a potential Israeli assault on Rafah. The statement said: “The Australian Human Rights Commission urges the Australian government to use its influence to advocate for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.”
Leeser said the announcement made only an oblique reference to antisemitism and did not mention the Israeli hostages or Hamas. He questioned whether the commission was not “doing the job”.
“If an institution charged with protecting Australians from racism and hate is not fulfilling its mandate, then Australians should question why it exists in the first place and whether it is doing the job it should be doing as it is currently constituted,” he said.
“To that end, we should put the AHRC on notice. I believe Australians will not tolerate the continued funding of government agencies and programs charged with building social cohesion turning a blind eye to racism or prejudice.”
In the letter sent anonymously to Croucher in January, staff said they had chosen to remain anonymous due to “the culture of silence at the commission” where “staff who take a rights-based approach to this issue [had been] cautioned and disciplined”.
Croucher at the time denied staff had been sanctioned or had action taken against them.
