Jillian Segal AO is Australia’s inaugural special envoy on antisemitism, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced today.
In her new role, Segal will advise the Prime Minister and the government on how to combat the growth of antisemitism in Australia, amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the threat of greater conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking on her appointment at Sydney’s Jewish Museum on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Albanese said he is pleased that Segal, an Australian lawyer and business executive, agreed to take up the role.
“We have seen, since October 7 last year, a significant rise in antisemitism in Australia. That is why the government has made the decision to appoint a special envoy on antisemitism,” Albanese said.
“Jillian has wide experience across our nation, in particular being a proud member of the Sydney Jewish community.”
There is no place for violence, hatred or discrimination of any kind in Australia.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 9, 2024
And as part of my Government's work to promote social cohesion, we have appointed Jillian Segal AO as Special Envoy to combat Antisemitism. pic.twitter.com/e1OMFS76Ih
Segal, the former president of the Executive Council of Australia Jewry and chair of the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce, said she is “humbled and privileged” to accept the role as Australia’s special envoy on antisemitism.
“Antisemitism erodes all that is good and healthy in a society,” Segal said. “As such, it poses a threat not just to the Jewish community, but to our entire nation.
“Antisemitism is an age-old hatred. It has the capacity to lie dormant through good times and then, in times of crisis like pandemic, which we’ve experienced, economic downturn, war – it awakens.”
Segal said antisemitism has increased by up to 500 per cent since October 7 2023, when Hamas launched its attack on Israel killing up to 1200 civilians.
“It triggers the very worst instincts in an individual: to fear, to blame others for life’s misfortunes, and to hate,” Segal said.
“And it is often based on misinformation, on inaccurate rumour, and it can spread from individual to individual to contaminate the collective, damaging life for the entire community and leading to violence, as we have seen.”
Segal said the creation of the role for the special envoy of antisemitism proves the government is committed to “confront this evil” and to protect “the goodness that exists in our society”.
“It will require a national strategy, coordination between communities, and all levels of government, education on what antisemitism looks like today, and deeper engagement between the Jewish and non-Jewish communities.”
A decline in social cohesion
Social cohesion in Australia is at its lowest point in almost seven years, according to the 2023 Mapping Social Cohesion Report from the Scanlon Foundation. Between 2007-2023, Australians’ sense of belong declined by an average of 1.4 percentage points each year; by 2023, less than half (48 per cent) felt a sense of belonging in Australia.
Belonging and social harmony in Australia has especially been an issue in Australia since October 7, with rates of antisemitism and Islamophobia, particularly via social media, rising to dangerous levels.
According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, there were 221 incidents between 8 October and 7 November 2023, and 42 incidents recorded in one week alone during that period. This is compared to just one recorded incident of antisemitism between 1 October and 7 October 2023.
Prior to 7 October 2023, there were an average of 2.5 recorded incidents of Islamophobia per week, according to data from the Islamophobia Register Australia. But between 7 October and 6 November 2023, there were 133 reported incidents.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said antisemitism in Australia is “not acceptable ever, and certainly not in Australia in 2024”.
“I have spoken with members of the Jewish community … right around Australia who have not felt safe,” Albanese said.
“Members of the Jewish community whose children are worried about wearing their school uniform in our capital cities. That’s not acceptable.
“We’re not having enough discourse in Australia which is civil, and the sort of slogans which are used have caused great damage and often come from a position of ignorance.
“I’m very proud to be the prime minister of Australia. We are the best country on Earth. But we need to continue to reinforce what are our greatest attributes, and that is respect for each other, respect for diversity, a place where people are valued regardless of their gender, their faith, their race, their sexuality – regardless of who they are.”
Prime Minister Albanese said his government would announce a special envoy on Islamophobia soon.