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The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) is preparing a comprehensive submission to Australia’s Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, the country’s highest form of public inquiry.
The submission draws on findings from an unprecedented nationwide advocacy and consultation program conducted across six Australian cities since January 2026.
The Royal Commission, established by the Australian government in January and led by Commissioner the Hon Virginia Bell AC SC, represents the most significant government inquiry into antisemitism in Australian history.
With the interim report due April 30 and the final report expected on December 14, the first anniversary of the Bondi Beach Hanukkah massacre, CAM’s submission will present firsthand evidence gathered directly from Australian Jewish communities, lawmakers, educators, and law enforcement representatives about the current state of antisemitism across the country.
Nationwide Roundtable Program
Between January and March 2026, CAM facilitated a series of roundtable consultations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth, and Adelaide. Each roundtable brought together local council leaders, state and federal parliamentarians, law enforcement officials, educators, and members of the Australian Jewish community.
Participants described a sharp escalation in antisemitic incidents following the Hamas terror attacks of 7 October 2023 and the Bondi Beach massacre last December, a mass-casualty attack at one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks in which 15 people were murdered.
Consistent themes emerged across all six cities — rising abuse in schools and universities, antisemitic harassment in workplaces and public spaces, and an alarming surge in online hate.
In the state of Victoria alone, 564 antisemitic incidents were recorded in 2025, the highest on record, averaging more than one incident per day across 30 local government areas. Nationally, research shows antisemitic attitudes have risen from 14 to 20 percent of the adult population, while online antisemitic content on major platforms has increased by thousands of percent since October 2023.
A Personal Mission
Behind the statistics are real Australian families. For Sheina Gutnick, the daughter of Bondi hero Reuven Morrison, who died shielding others during the attack, the work of the Royal Commission carries deeply personal significance. Recently appointed as CAM’s Public Affairs Advocate for Australia, Gutnick brings a powerful firsthand perspective to CAM’s advocacy. Her voice will feature prominently in the organisation’s submission to ensure the Commission understands the lasting human impact of antisemitic violence on Australian families.
These findings and lived experiences will form the central pillar of CAM’s Royal Commission submission, alongside policy recommendations for strengthened protections for the Australian Jewish community.
Government and Parliamentary Engagement
CAM’s Australian program has extended well beyond consultations, working alongside Australian Jewish community organisations and advocacy bodies to engage directly with lawmakers at every level of government. In February 2026, CAM supported advocacy meetings at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia’s national legislature, engaging federal parliamentarians on antisemitism policy and the implementation of the Combating Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Act 2026.
This community-wide effort coincided with the tabling of the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism report on February 16, to which CAM provided advocacy support alongside Australian Jewish community representatives. CAM has since engaged with significant legislative developments across multiple states, including Queensland’s Fighting Antisemitism Act 2026, Victoria’s strengthened anti-vilification protections commencing in April 2026, and the proposed NSW Prevention of Antisemitism Bill 2026. CAM is working to ensure these reforms reach affected communities across the country.
Key Recommendations
CAM’s submission to the Royal Commission will recommend nationwide adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism across all levels of Australian government, strengthened regulation of online antisemitic content targeting Australian users, dedicated antisemitism awareness training for Australian law enforcement and educators, and enhanced legislative protections building on the momentum of recent state and federal reforms.
Looking Ahead
CAM’s Australian advocacy program continues through the remainder of 2026, with further government engagement, ongoing monitoring of state and federal legislative developments, and active participation in the Royal Commission process through to the final report in December.
Equally important, CAM is committed to working with interfaith partners and community leaders across Australia to advance genuine social cohesion. The fight against antisemitism must be part of a broader national commitment to equality and mutual respect, one that ensures consistent standards in how all forms of hate are identified, condemned, and addressed.
“Australia is at a defining moment in how it confronts antisemitism,” said CAM Senior Advisor for Australia Alex Polson. “The Royal Commission gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure Jewish Australians are protected by the strongest possible legislative and institutional frameworks.”
Read more:
Daughter of Bondi Massacre Hero Joins CAM Australia to Fight the Hate That Killed Her Father
At First Australian Mayoral Summit Against Antisemitism, Local Leaders Commit to Action Plans
