Witnesses at royal commission subjected to ‘ugly antisemitic attacks’ after appearing, commissioner says
Caitlin Cassidy
The royal commissioner, Virginia Bell AC SC, says Jewish witnesses have been subject to “ugly antisemitic attacks” after giving evidence of their own experiences of antisemitism.
The fourth block of hearings in Melbourne this week is examining the lived experiences of antisemitism on Jewish students and academics, including the response of universities to combat it.
Opening the hearing on Monday, Bell drew attention to the provisions of the Royal Commissions Act, which makes it an indictable offence to inflict any damage or disadvantage on a person on account of their evidence.
Four academics and students are giving evidence under a pseudonym on Monday. Also appearing is a co-convener of Students for Palestine and education officer at the National Union of Students, Yasmine Johnson, the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Hugh de Krester, and Josh Keller of the Australian Academic Alliance Against Antisemitism.
Commissioner for the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion, Virginia Bell. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 20.39 EDT
Key events
Kat Wong
Richard Scolyer ‘opened his big heart to us all’, Albanese says
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has honoured the legacy of the pioneering cancer researcher Richard Scolyer, who continued his work even as he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer that Scolyer described as a “straight path to death”.
double quotation markRichard was without question one of our brightest stars.
As he faced up to his new reality, no one would have begrudged him retreating into the shelter of his family and friends.
Yet that is not what he chose. Instead, he opened his big heart to us all, and what Australia got to see was a man absolutely determined to change that straight path.
Updated at 21.50 EDT
Richard Scolyer remembered as a ‘true communitarian’ at state memorial
Kat Wong
The governor general, Sam Mostyn, has laid out the ways the pioneering cancer researcher touched the lives of those around him.
double quotation markThis was a true communitarian. His radical, inspiring honesty and openness as he and his family and close friends faced his biggest battle, is a lasting and generous gift to us all.
Lycra-clad cyclists from cancer charity Tour de Cure, Scolyer’s carers, his colleagues, fellow 2024 Australian of the year recipient, Georgina Long, and his family were among those gathered at the Sydney Opera House for his state memorial on Monday.
Updated at 21.42 EDT
Caitlin Cassidy
Jewish student says friends ‘stopped talking to me entirely’ due to her Zionism after 7 October terror attack
A Jewish student who is appearing under the pseudonym Liat has told the royal commission she lost her friends after the 7 October Hamas terror attack because of her Zionism.
Liat moved to Canberra in 2022 to study at the Australian National University and describes herself as proudly Zionist, with both her parents born in Israel.
After the 2023 terrorist attack and subsequent Gaza conflict, she said she lost the vast majority of her non-Jewish friends. In one instance, she said, someone at a theatre afterparty told her “we’re not friends any more, you’re a Zionist”.
double quotation markI was very taken aback and deeply hurt that someone so flippantly could just go, ‘well, you’re of Israeli heritage, you can’t possibly be my friend’ … The majority of the people who were my friends at the time just stopped talking to me entirely.
Liat said you could critique Israel without being antisemitic but she hadn’t seen “examples that accuse Israel of doing things without playing on those [antisemitic] tropes”.
She pointed to an article in a magazine distributed by ANU’s student association which described Zionism as a far-right political project and the state of Israel as run by proponents of genocide, which she said “plays on the very classical antisemitic trope that Jews are particularly murderous”.
Updated at 21.39 EDT
Luca Ittimani
ASX slips as Iran claims strait of Hormuz closed again
The Australian share market has dipped as the US war on Iran heats back up.
Iran has claimed it has closed the strait of Hormuz after trading strikes with the US but Donald Trump has said the waterway is still open.
The news has lifted world oil prices, with Brent crude up from US$76 a barrel on Saturday morning to US$79 this morning. Markets’ reactions have been more muted than they were on Thursday, when strikes resumed in the first place and Brent rose to US$80 – still well below the US$115 a barrel it reached in May.
Australian shares have taken a small hit. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index is down 0.14%, falling back below 8,800 points to 8,794 this morning.
Resmed, AGL Energy and Virgin Airlines have seen some of the biggest share price falls, respectively down about 4.4%, 3.7% and 2.8%.
Miner BHP and ANZ bank shares are each up almost 0.5%, CBA is up about 0.2%, Westpac and NAB are flat and Macquarie is down 0.45%. Ampol and Viva, the petrol retailers, are up at least 1.3%, enjoying a steady rise over the last fortnight with fuel prices set to rise once more.
Updated at 21.23 EDT
Kat Wong
State memorial for Richard Scolyer to begin
A state memorial for Prof Richard Scolyer, 2024 Australian of the year and pioneering melanoma researcher, is about to get under way.
Hundreds of people – including the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the governor general, Sam Mostyn – are expected to attend the Sydney Opera House on Monday morning as Scolyer’s family and loved ones celebrate his life.
I’ll be bringing you updates throughout the service.
Members of the Tour de Cure peloton ride past the Sydney Opera House ahead of the service. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPProf Richard Scolyer’s bicycle is escorted to the memorial. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAPShare
Updated at 21.13 EDT
Caitlin Cassidy
Royal commission to hear from Jewish staff and students ‘verbally abused’ and ‘physically assaulted’ on university campuses
Counsel assisting at the royal commission, Zelie Heger SC, says there have been “significant concerns” raised in submissions to the commission about antisemitism at universities, which also have to balance “different rights and freedoms”.
She says this block of hearings will hear evidence of Jewish staff and students being “verbally abused, intimidated and even physically assaulted on campus”, including a Nazi salute being given to a Jewish teacher in the classroom and Jews being called “baby killers or genocide supporters”.
double quotation markA recurring theme is Jewish staff and students being assumed to take a particular position on the conflict in the Middle East simply by virtue of being Jewish or being Israeli … There are diverse views amongst the Jewish community as to that conflict.
Many Jews are opposed to the actions of the government of Israel. Indeed, there are Jews who do not identify as Zionist or do not identify with the state of Israel at all … No one doubts the importance of being able to debate the conflict in the Middle East … But I anticipate the evidence will show that there have been instances where protest on these issues has crossed the line.
Updated at 21.04 EDT
Burke says IS-linked Australian woman Hodan Abby likely considering if she would ever return to Australia
Government officials are monitoring the location of the final woman with links to Islamic State who has not returned to Australia, but the prospect of arrest on arrival might deter her from ever boarding a flight back, AAP reports.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, revealed the government was keeping track of Hodan Abby’s location after an order stopping her return to Australia on national security grounds was lifted.
Burke said Abby would probably be weighing up whether or not to return to Australia, given she may face arrest on her arrival. He told ABC News this morning:
double quotation markAnybody who made a decision to go and join Isis made an absolutely horrific decision, and we’ve got no interest in doing anything to help any of them back.
Our agencies are aware of her location … she’d be weighing up the different things she’s done and would be making a decision as to whether or not she in fact ever returns.
Updated at 20.52 EDT
Witnesses at royal commission subjected to ‘ugly antisemitic attacks’ after appearing, commissioner saysCaitlin Cassidy
The royal commissioner, Virginia Bell AC SC, says Jewish witnesses have been subject to “ugly antisemitic attacks” after giving evidence of their own experiences of antisemitism.
The fourth block of hearings in Melbourne this week is examining the lived experiences of antisemitism on Jewish students and academics, including the response of universities to combat it.
Opening the hearing on Monday, Bell drew attention to the provisions of the Royal Commissions Act, which makes it an indictable offence to inflict any damage or disadvantage on a person on account of their evidence.
Four academics and students are giving evidence under a pseudonym on Monday. Also appearing is a co-convener of Students for Palestine and education officer at the National Union of Students, Yasmine Johnson, the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Hugh de Krester, and Josh Keller of the Australian Academic Alliance Against Antisemitism.
Commissioner for the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion, Virginia Bell. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 20.39 EDT
Josh Nicholas
Does Pauline Hanson really have a path to government?
One Nation’s spectacular rise from a distant 6% of the vote in the last election to first or second in some recent polls has upended Australian politics. It has also made it a lot harder to predict what exactly will happen at the next election.
Traditionally, pollsters and election experts would look at how preferences flowed in previous elections when estimating two-party preferred numbers, or translating polling into seat projections. This was fairly predictable when almost every seat would come down to a contest between Labor and the Coalition.
But, given the rise of One Nation, we are now in “unknown territory”, says George Hasanakos, head of research at DemosAu.
Read more:
One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShareMore than 600 trombonists gather in Queensland for world record attempt
A fun story from the weekend: More than 600 trombonists gathered in Ipswich, Queensland, on Sunday to secure a new world record for the world’s largest trombone ensemble.
The group performed the piece 76 Trombones with, well, many more than that. Seizing an opportunity to toot their own horn, Ipswich’s mayor, Teresa Harding, said in a statement:
double quotation markIpswich has once again shown the world what can happen when a community comes together with passion, creativity and a willingness to dream big.
To see hundreds of musicians of all skill levels in Tulmur Place ready to try and set a new world record is an extraordinary achievement and one that every participant, volunteer and supporter can be incredibly proud of.
Participants travelled from across south-east Queensland and beyond to take part.
The previous world record of 368 musicians was set in Washington DC in 2012. A submission has been made to Guinness World Records for official verification.
Ipswich City Big Band Music Director Matt Chambers and Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding at the world record attempt for most trombones playing a song at one time in Tulmur Place for Spark Ipswich arts festival. Photograph: ICC MediaThat’s a lot of trombones. Photograph: ICC MediaShare
Updated at 19.59 EDT
Caitlin Cassidy
Australia’s ‘unfair’ visa price hikes: what’s changed and why it matters
The federal government has been accused of exploiting international students and permanent residents after non-refundable visa fees were quietly hiked by up to 200%, placing Australia well in excess of other western countries.
The peak body representing international students has warned prospective students to consider studying elsewhere, while critics affected by the scheme have accused Labor of trying to “out-One Nation One Nation”.
Here’s what you need to know.
Updated at 19.42 EDT