10-07-2025
'I will be putting them to the task': Special Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal demands full cooperation from university executives
Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal has ordered university chancellors and vice-chancellors to cooperate fully with her plan to stamp out antisemitism on campuses.
Ms Segal handed down a major report on Thursday, just one year after the business executive was appointed as Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism.
The report outlines a series of measures needed in order to combat antisemitism, which it claimed had 'reached a tipping point that threatens social harmony, undermines trust in institutions and marginalises Jewish Australian citizens'.
Speaking to Sky News host Sharri Markson, Ms Segal said it was her plan to delegate work for 'different parties', especially the federal and state government, and educational and cultural institutions.
' There's support I will need from the federal government, but also from state governments, also from leaders in society, leaders of cultural institutions, chancellors and vice-chancellors at universities,' she said.
'I will be putting them to the task of supporting me when I need federal government support, but equally I'll be looking to state governments to support educational initiatives.
'I'll looking to universities to continue what has been very cooperative stance from them in moving towards initiatives to combat antisemitism on campuses.'
Ms Segal said Education Minister Jason Clare will convene a meeting of education ministers for her to speak to them on implementing a plan to end hate on campuses.
The special envoy added she was 'in touch' with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) about universities and had its 'full cooperation'.
In addition to university leaders, Ms Segal also vowed to call out the Albanese government if they did not support her efforts.
'As I said today, when launching it with the Prime Minister, I will be reporting on it at the end of the first year, and if I haven't had cooperation from everyone who I need cooperation from, I will be calling it out,' she said.
Ms Segal explained there had been a lot of support from the education sector so far and a taskforce had been established in Victoria where she hoped there would be 'immediate action'.
'I'm hopeful of making progress every single day,' she said.
The special envoy added a 'raft' of new legislation was in for consultation or had passed, including Nazi symbol bans and doxxing laws.
'But some legislation related to hatred needs to be strengthened,' she said.
'The argument is that it's new legislation and it needs to be tested and my point is you need strong laws but you need police to do the policing and prosecutors to prosecute and then judges to sentence.'
Ms Segal said antisemitism was an 'evil that eats away at our society' which will 'undo us all' unless it is stamped out.
