Jewish Australians urged to share stories as royal commission begins

Jewish Australians are being urged to share their "lived experiences of antisemitism" as the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion began, setting out the parameters of its investigation.

Anti-Semitism dictionary definition Source: iStockphoto / tzahiV/Getty Images/iStockphoto

A royal commission is an independent, public inquiry established by a state or commonwealth government. It is not a court but allows complex issues to be examined in a public forum.

Former judge Ronald Sackville says unlike other inquiries, royal commissions can force people and institutions to participate. In the past, former prime ministers and ministers have been compelled to give evidence, for example, in the Robodebt royal commission.

For this commission, The 14 December antisemitic attack is a key focus: it will look at the lead-up and planning of the attack, and how agencies interacted and shared information, as well as tools to prevent such attacks in future.

It will investigate the prevalence and drivers of antisemitism in institutions and society in the lead up to the Bondi attack and how it's affected Jewish Australians and whether law enforcement, border control, immigration, and security agencies have adequate resources and powers to respond to antisemitic conduct.

We've asked members of the community how they view the launch of the Commission and what are they hoping will be the outcomes.