Australia's health watchdog has adopted a contested definition of antisemitism to guide its regulatory work, a move welcomed by the nation's peak Jewish body but criticized by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (Apan) for potentially silencing health professionals who criticize Israel's human rights record.
Adoption of IHRA Definition
In a joint statement with the federal government's 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's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism for its regulatory work. The IHRA definition describes antisemitism as "a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews" and is accompanied by illustrative examples. Critics argue these examples can conflate antisemitism with legitimate criticism of Israel.
Support and Opposition
The definition has been endorsed by the federal government and the antisemitism royal commission, launched after the Bondi terror attack last December that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah event. Ahpra's chief executive, Justin Untersteiner, stated that antisemitism "has no place in healthcare" and that Ahpra is committed to eliminating it from the health system. Apan, however, warned that the adoption risks healthcare workers facing suspensions or bans due to "egregious and vexatious complaints" that silence political expression about Israel's actions in Gaza and Lebanon. Apan pointed to healthcare workers since October 2023 reporting fear of professional consequences for speaking publicly about Gaza and Palestine, while Palestinian healthcare workers have witnessed the destruction of Gaza's health system and growing hostility towards advocates for Palestinian human rights in Australia.
Vexatious Complaints and Safeguards
Last year, Guardian Australia reported claims by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners that GPs had faced frivolous or vexatious complaints to the health regulator over social media posts opposing Israel's war in Gaza. Ahpra is responsible for investigating complaints about registered health professionals. Untersteiner said Ahpra is reviewing its vexatious notifications framework due to concerns about the "weaponisation of the notifications process" and is establishing an advisory panel of practitioners to improve the process and strengthen safeguards.
Reactions from Jewish and Media Bodies
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) welcomed Ahpra's move, endorsing the definition as a practical, internationally-recognized tool to identify and combat antisemitism. Segal commended Ahpra's adoption and argued in her 2025 report that all levels of government, public institutions, and regulatory bodies should adopt the IHRA definition for a unified framework to monitor and respond to antisemitic incidents. In contrast, ABC and SBS confirmed last month they would not adopt the IHRA definition, citing the need for their own definitions for editorial independence.
Context of Rising Incidents
Reports of antisemitic, anti-Palestinian, and Islamophobic incidents have been rising in Australia since Hamas' attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, prompting Israel's military invasion of Gaza. More than 75,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed. An independent UN commission of inquiry last year labelled Israel's war in Gaza a genocide, a claim Israel has categorically rejected.
