Australia\u2019s health watchdog has adopted a contested definition of antisemitism to guide its regulatory work.<\/p>\n
The move has been welcomed by the nation\u2019s peak Jewish body while the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (Apan) has warned it could silence health professionals from criticising Israel\u2019s human rights record.<\/p>\n
In a joint statement <\/a>with the federal government\u2019s special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) on Wednesday announced it had adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance\u2019s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism for its \u201cregulatory work.\u201d<\/p>\n The IHRA definition<\/a> says antisemitism is \u201ca certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.\u201d It is accompanied by illustrative examples, which opponents have argued means it can be used to conflate antisemitism with legitimate criticism of Israel.<\/p>\n Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email<\/a><\/p>\n The definition has been endorsed by the federal government and the antisemitism royal commission, launched in the wake of the Bondi terror attack last December, where 15 people were killed at a Hanukkah event.<\/p>\n Ahpra\u2019s chief executive, Justin Untersteiner, said antisemitism costs lives and \u201chas no place in healthcare.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAhpra 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,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cAhpra has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as a reference tool, supported by the Special Envoy\u2019s handbook to support a consistent understanding of antisemitism in its contemporary forms in our regulatory work.\u201d<\/p>\n Apan on Thursday said Ahpra\u2019s announcement risked healthcare workers facing suspensions or bans due to \u201cegregious and vexatious complaints\u201d that silence political expression about Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza and Lebanon.<\/p>\n It pointed to healthcare workers since October 2023 reporting \u201cfear of professional consequences for speaking publicly about Gaza and Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt the same time, Palestinian healthcare workers have witnessed the destruction of Gaza\u2019s health system, the killing of thousands of healthcare workers and patients, and growing hostility towards those advocating for Palestinian human rights in Australia,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n Last year Guardian Australia reported on claims by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners that GPs had been subjected to frivolous or vexatious complaints <\/a>to the health regulator about social media posts opposing Israel\u2019s war in Gaza.<\/p>\n AHPRA is responsible for investigating complaints made about registered health professionals.<\/p>\n Untersteiner said Ahpra was always reviewing its vexatious notifications framework due to concerns about the \u201cweaponisation of the notifications process\u201d.<\/p>\n Ahpra is establishing an advisory panel of practitioners to improve the process and \u201cstrengthen safeguards\u201d, the statement said.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the peak Jewish body, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) told Guardian Australia it welcomed Ahpra\u2019s move. The ECAJ has previously endorsed the definition as a \u201cpractical, internationally-recognised tool to identify and combat antisemitism.\u201d<\/p>\n Segal commended Ahpra\u2019s move in adopting the definition. In her 2025 report to combat antisemitism, Segal argued all levels of government, public institutions and regulatory bodies should adopt the IHRA definition to provide a \u201cunified framework\u201d to monitor and respond to antisemitic incidents.<\/p>\n Last month, ABC and SBS confirmed they would not adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism used by the royal commission<\/a>, arguing they needed to use their own definitions for editorial independence.<\/p>\n Reports of antisemitic, anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic incidents have been rising in Australia since Hamas\u2019 attacks on 7 October 2023<\/a>. Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages<\/a>, prompting Israel\u2019s military invasion of Gaza, in which more than 75,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed<\/a>.<\/p>\n