The federal government's special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, has distanced herself from a $50,000 donation a trust linked to her husband made to political lobby group Advance Australia, which posts right-wing, anti-Muslim content.
Data from the Australian Electoral Commission show the donation was made by Henroth Investments Pty Ltd to Advance Australia in the 2023-24 reporting period.
Australian Security and Investments Commission (ASIC) records list Segal's husband John Roth, and his brother Stanley Roth, as directors of Henroth Investments Pty Ltd.
Advance Australia posts anti-immigration content on its social media accounts, regularly calling for an end to "mass immigration" in Australia.
The group recently claimed Palestinians in Australia were a "risk to security", was a significant player in the No campaign against an Indigenous Voice to parliament and has called for an end to Welcome to Country ceremonies.
It recently posted an AI-generated picture of a group of people including women wearing hijab head coverings outside a house on a post critical of immigration.
In a statement to SBS News, Segal responded to reports about the donation, which were first published by the Guardian and more recently by independent outlet The Klaxon.
"No one would tolerate or accept my husband dictating my politics, and I certainly won't dictate his," Segal said.
"I have had no involvement in his donations, nor will I."
There is no suggestion Segal was involved in the donation.
A recent Advance Australia Facebook post. Source: Facebook
Segal last week outlined a national plan to combat antisemitism alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, releasing a 20-page report that proposes establishing a nationally consistent definition of antisemitism to be adopted across all levels of government and public institutions. It also recommends cracking down on universities, and calls for increased monitoring of media organisations, on the issue of antisemitism.
Albanese says he will consider the plan's recommendations but has not committed to it in full, as critics argue the definition of antisemitism Segal has recommended federal agencies adopt would limit free speech and legitimate criticism of Israel.
Segal was appointed to the role in July 2024 in response to a rise in hate crimes against Jewish Australians following the October 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israel. Aftab Malik was appointed as a special envoy to combat Islamophobia in September last year.
