Tuesday, 2 December 2025

 Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (02:27): (2186) I have an adjournment matter this evening for the attention of the Minister for Health. Over the last couple of years a number of Jewish doctors and healthcare professionals have spoken to me about their vulnerabilities and fears following the 7 October Hamas terrorist attacks that killed more than 1200 and where 254 hostages were taken. Following 7 October Australia and in particular Victoria have very concerningly seen a huge surge in antisemitism. The Prime Minister in July 2024 appointed Jillian Segal AO as Australia’s special envoy to combat antisemitism. The Segal report found that from October 2023 to September 2024 antisemitic incidents surged by 316 per cent, with over 2000 cases reported and threats, assaults, vandalism and intimidation. In October and November 2023 alone episodes increased over 700 per cent compared to the previous year, reflecting incitement by those with extremist views and misinformation in the media and online. These figures exclude much of the hate online, where antisemitism has exploded.

Not one of her recommendations have been adopted in Victoria. Antisemitism has been allowed to run rife and become normalised, with the firebombing of the Adass synagogue, which was found to be a terrorist attack; the attempted arson attack on the East Melbourne synagogue; the vile graffiti being displayed on school fences and on our streets; and the obvious antisemitic activism occurring in weekly protests. And it has not stopped there, with many instances on social media, including from healthcare professionals. But it is not only on social media where antisemitism within health has occurred; it has also been evident in our hospitals. The shocking antisemitic statements made have been well reported, with anti-Israel stickers plastered all over hospitals and staff wearing political clothing and badges. I have raised this on a number of occasions in this place, but I was appalled last week when I had a call from a Jewish doctor who made me aware of the most violent, appalling and threatening verbal abuse of a young family member, with threatening phone calls and hate messages being sprayed across private property, which is not acceptable in any way.

It has also come to my attention what is occurring in the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, the regulator, and medical boards. AHPRA appears to have a problem with governance, training and operations. They refuse to accept the envoy’s definition of ‘antisemitism’ yet astonishingly present us with statistics. They appoint anti-Israel activists to judge our healthcare workers and have provided their staff with no training on antisemitism, as they see it as only a social media issue. There is no transparency as to how they are investigating complaints about Jewish health professionals. How can the health ministers meetings meet the federal minister’s request to report back on antisemitism when they refuse to define it or screen their own staff for it and are untrained? It is a failure of leadership. AHPRA of course is a national body, but we need our healthcare workers and the community to have trust and faith in the regulator. Governance is essential for AHPRA to be able to conduct its role in good faith. The action I seek is for the health minister to urgently intervene and speak with her interstate and federal counterparts to request that an independent investigation into AHPRA be undertaken.