Among the coverage of the Bondi Beach terror attack appearing on the BBC News website’s Australia page is a report dated December 18th and headlined “Australian PM announces crackdown on hate speech after Bondi shooting”.
Credited to Helen Livingstone, who moved from the Guardian to the BBC in October of this year, the report begins by telling readers that:
“Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his government will crack down on hate speech following Sunday’s deadly shooting at Bondi Beach that targeted a Jewish festival.
Fifteen people were killed when two gunmen opened fire at an event to mark the first day of Hanukkah.
New laws will target “those who spread hate, division and radicalisation”, Albanese told reporters in Canberra.”
Later in the current version of her article, Livingstone quotes the president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the president of NSW Jewish Board of Deputies before going on to tell readers that:
“Antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal, who also spoke at the press conference, said the country was “at a very important moment not only for our community, but for fighting antisemitism around the world.”
Albanese said his government would be “fully supporting and adopting” the recommendations Segal put forward in July in a report.”
Although she does not provide a link to that report or explain its content, Livingstone does platform opposition to its recommendations.
“Her report was criticised by some upon its release in July due to its implications for free speech, including plans to monitor universities and arts organisations and withhold funding if they were deemed to have failed to act against antisemitism. There were concerns for instance, that the funding could be used to silence pro-Palestinian protests.”
Failing to tell readers anything about the nature of some of the “pro-Palestinian protests” that have already taken place or about the organisation she next goes on to quote, Livingstone continues with promotion of the ‘lobby’ trope.
“The Jewish Council of Australia said it supported Albanese’s commitment to act, including his focus on gun reform and online hate.
But, it said it was “concerned that elements of today’s announcement resemble long-standing proposals from the pro-Israel lobby which have nothing to do with addressing violent extremism.”
“If education initiatives like university scorecards become a form of ideological policing – particularly where they are used to limit legitimate criticism of Israel – they will only make Jews less safe, and do the opposite of combating antisemitism,” Jewish Council of Australia executive officer Dr Max Kaiser said.”
Readers would of course have found it helpful to know that the Jewish Council of Australia – set up in February 2024 – is a niche antizionist organisation that promotes a particular political view and which had already rejected Jillian Segal’s report when it was published in July:
“Kaiser said The Council is “especially concerned” about the plan’s endorsement of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, as well as new visa powers and judicial inquiries into student activity which “risk censoring criticism of Israel, deepening racism, and failing to meaningfully address the root causes of antisemitism”.
In response, The Council proposes the government engage a broader spectrum of Jewish voices, including those critical of Israel; incorporate principles that tackle all forms of racism, such as that against Islamic, Palestinian and First Nations communities, and not just antisemitism; and reject proposals that erode civil liberties under the “false guise of Jewish safety”.”
BBC audiences would also have been better placed to put Max Kaiser’s comments into perspective had they been informed of his repeated claim that the “real” source of antisemitism in Australia is “the far right, including neo-Nazis”.
However, as was also the case in January 2025, the BBC once again chose to quote and promote the Jewish Council of Australia without providing any information concerning its “particular viewpoints”, including its antizionist agenda.
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BBC NEWS FAILS TO ADEQUATELY INFORM ON AUSTRALIAN ORGANISATION
So who is this Jewish Council?
Who do they actually represent besides themselves – nobody- they are an anti Israel organisation
From https://www.jewishcouncil.com.au/
“The Jewish Council of Australia
DIGNITY. EQUALITY. FREEDOM. FOR ALL.
The Jewish Council of Australia is an organisation of Jewish people in Australia who are committed to the Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world), calling out injustice, challenging assumptions and promoting debate. We work towards ending antisemitism and all forms of racism and we support Palestinian freedom and justice.”
“Our core principles
We are proud Jewish people in Australia with diverse histories, traditions and politics. We are committed to the values of tikkun olam (repairing the world), calling out injustice, challenging assumptions and promoting debate.
We reject the assertion that Jews and the State of Israel are one and the same, or that all Jewish people support, without criticism, the actions of the Israeli government and military.
Pro-Israel Jewish organisations, that do not recognise the diversity of views among Australian Jews, do not speak for us.
While we have diverse views on many issues, we are united in our opposition to Israel’s continued policies aimed at the destruction of Palestinian life. We are opposed to the Israeli occupation and the prioritisation of the rights of Jewish people over the rights of Palestinians.
Jewish safety is not at odds with Palestinian freedom. We support calls for freedom, equality and justice for all Palestinians and Israelis. We reject any claim that this call is racist or antisemitic, or that it is antisemitic to criticise Israel’s conduct.
Racism and antisemitism are on the rise in Australia. The only way to effectively fight antisemitism is by committing to work in solidarity with other groups facing bigotry and discrimination to fight all forms of racism.