The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion has been established by the Australian Government to examine the prevalence, nature, causes and effects of antisemitism in Australia and having regard to these matters, how to strengthen social cohesion and community safety across Australian society.
It was established in response to the antisemitic massacre at Bondi Beach – which claimed 15 innocent lives and targeted the Australian Jewish community – and serious antisemitic conduct that has impacted Australian Jews and the wider community.
The Commission is headed by the Hon Virginia Bell AC SC. Like other royal commissions, it has broad powers to receive evidence, request documents and make recommendations. The Royal Commission operates as an independent inquiry and is not subject to control by the government or any external agency.
In her opening statement Commissioner Bell stressed that she is interested in hearing from Jewish Australians who have experienced antisemitism, whether at school, university, the workplace or elsewhere.
She said the Royal Commission will use these accounts to assess the impact of antisemitism on the daily life of Jewish Australians, as required by the Royal Commission’s terms of reference.
Anyone who has experienced or witnessed antisemitic conduct, or has views on antisemitism and social cohesion in Australia, may make a submission — regardless of whether you are Jewish, from another community, an organisation, a friend or an observer.
Submissions can express personal experiences, community-wide concerns, or professional and organisational insights.
Please note that the vast majority of people who make submissions will not be called upon to give evidence.
Commissioner Bell has said that a person making a submission who does not wish to give evidence at a hearing will not be compelled to do so.
In general, the Royal Commission has far-reaching powers and may compel individuals to give evidence and produce documents.
Submissions are a vital part of the Commission’s work. They:
At this stage, the deadline for making submissions is May 2026.
The Commission’s final report is due by 14 December 2026 and will include its findings and recommendations.
The Commission is collecting submissions through its secure online form.
Submissions are accepted in a variety of formats (written text, file uploads). The online form will ask you to provide information such as:
Please follow the prompts in the online form carefully. This is the official process used by the Royal Commission.
As ECAJ produces an Annual Antisemitism Report, it is very important that we are aware of the antisemitic conduct experienced by members of the community.
To assist with this, we welcome you to either:
Submissions shared with us help us understand and track the range of issues being raised by members of the community with the Royal Commission.
Where appropriate, emails to the ECAJ may be shared on a confidential basis with Jewish Centre for Law & Justice or our lawyers Arnold Bloch Leibler.
There is no single “correct” way to make a submission. However, the most useful submissions are clear, personal, specific and include the following:
Explain what happened in your own words:
Try to be factual and avoid speculation. Your testimony is most powerful when grounded in your own experiences.
You may choose to focus on:
A short, personal submission can be just as powerful as a longer one.
Explain how the conduct affected:
Although it is not essential, you may also want to explain briefly how you think antisemitism affects the broader Jewish community and include suggestions for change that you think will make a difference.
Try not to address matters beyond your personal experiences or knowledge unless you have something important to contribute to the work of the Royal Commission.
Remember that Jewish representative bodies will make careful submissions identifying recommendations the Royal Commission should make.
You may want to explain very briefly why you think your submission matters to the Royal Commission, and the broader policy questions to which you think your experiences are relevant.
As an example, ECAJ’s Head of Legal, Simone Abel, made this submission in her personal capacity recently to a Parliamentary Inquiry in Queensland into a new piece of legislation to combat antisemitism.
It is an example of how to tell your personal story in a way that helps inform the issue that the inquiry is considering.
The online form allows you to request that your identity not be published or shared publicly. You may also upload supporting documents if relevant.
If you have concerns about privacy or safety, consider:
Discussing difficult or traumatic experiences can be distressing. If you need emotional support, contact appropriate counselling services such as Lifeline, Jewish Care support services, or other mental health resources in your area.
See our Bondi Beach attack information hub for more support information.
No. The Commission welcomes all contributions, whether brief or detailed. What matters is that you communicate your experience or insight.
Yes, the online form allows for anonymity if you choose.
Yes, organisations can make submissions and may include individual stories with consent. That is why it is also important that you make contact with ECAJ.
The Commission will consider all submissions as part of its inquiry. Some may be referenced in reports or hearings, subject to privacy protections.
If your incident is an emergency, please call 000 immediately. Then call 1300 000 CSG (1300 000 274) when it is safe to do so. When you are safe and have time, please report the incident on our antisemitism reporting hub.
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