Australia's health watchdog adopts contested antisemitism definition, sparking fears of silenced criticism

Australia's health regulator, Ahpra, has adopted a contested definition of antisemitism, a decision praised by the nation's peak Jewish body but met with concern by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (Apan).

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Antisemitism costs lives and has no place in healthcare.

Ahpra announced it would use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism for its regulatory work. The IHRA definition, which includes illustrative examples, has drawn criticism for potentially conflating legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. While endorsed by the federal government and an antisemitism royal commission, opponents fear it could be used to silence health professionals speaking out about Israel's actions.

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Ahpra is committed to working with the Special Envoy and partners to eliminate antisemitism from the health system, because everyone should feel safe when accessing care.

Apan warned that the adoption of the IHRA definition could lead to health professionals facing sanctions for expressing political views on Gaza and Lebanon. The network highlighted growing fear among healthcare workers about professional repercussions for speaking publicly about the situation in Palestine. They also noted the destruction of Gaza's health system and the killing of healthcare workers there.

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Ahpra has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as a reference tool, supported by the Special Envoy’s handbook to support a consistent understanding of antisemitism in its contemporary forms in our regulatory work.

Ahpra's chief executive, Justin Untersteiner, stated that antisemitism has no place in healthcare and that the agency is committed to eliminating it to ensure patient safety. He added that Ahpra is reviewing its framework for handling complaints to address concerns about the "weaponisation of the notifications process" and is establishing an advisory panel to strengthen safeguards.

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At the same time, Palestinian healthcare workers have witnessed the destruction of Gaza’s health system, the killing of thousands of healthcare workers and patients, and growing hostility towards those advocating for Palestinian human rights in Australia.