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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Antisemitism in the media under the spotlight at royal commission

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Australia's royal commission is investigating antisemitism on social media and in traditional media outlets.
  • The inquiry is examining the prevalence of anti-Jewish material and how media organizations address it.
  • Witnesses have criticized coverage of the Israel-Gaza war, with some alleging bias and minimization of antisemitism.

Australia's royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion is set to resume public hearings this week, focusing on the "cesspool" of anti-Jewish material online and its presence in traditional media.

The commission has received over 20,000 submissions and held private sessions last month due to national security and legal concerns. Evidence heard behind closed doors included information regarding intelligence and policing agencies' conduct prior to the Bondi Beach terrorist attack on December 14, 2025.

minimised antisemitism

— Michael GawendaCriticizing the coverage of the Israel-Gaza war by some mainstream media outlets.

Public hearings will now scrutinize the extent of antisemitism across social media platforms and traditional news sources. The inquiry will also assess how public media organizations identify and tackle antisemitism within their operations.

one-sided

— Léa LevyDescribing the ABC's coverage of the Israel-Gaza war.

During the proceedings, several witnesses have voiced criticism regarding mainstream media's coverage of the Israel-Gaza war. Former editor-in-chief of The Age newspaper, Michael Gawenda, claimed that some outlets, including the ABC, "minimised antisemitism" in their reporting after the war began in October 2023. Jewish Australian Léa Levy told the commission that she observed "one-sided" coverage by the ABC daily, stating it "never talk[s] about Israelis' pain."

The ABC and SBS have both made submissions to the inquiry, though the ABC's has not been made public. A spokesperson for the ABC stated the broadcaster "recognised the importance of the royal commission and will continue to engage constructively." SBS affirmed its commitment to providing "accurate, balanced and impartial coverage." Both organizations were required to comply with a notice preventing the destruction of records related to antisemitism and social cohesion.

They never talk about Israelis' pain and it's very difficult to avoid

— Léa LevyExpressing frustration with the perceived lack of focus on Israeli suffering in media reports.

The royal commission will also evaluate the effectiveness of current policies and inter-agency cooperation in combating online hate speech. Testimony has already highlighted the impact of online antisemitism, with one anonymous mother describing social media as having "gone a long way to demonising Jews."

the importance of the royal commission and will continue to engage constructively

— ABC spokespersonStating the broadcaster's stance on the royal commission.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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