Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill 2026

Fatima Payman

by leave—Can I please record my opposition to 4033.

Matt O'Sullivan

by leave—I move amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 4037 together:

(1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 5), omit "Schedules 2 to 4", substitute "Schedules 2 to 5".

(2) Page 68 (after line 17), at the end of the Bill, add:

Schedule 5 — Amendments relating to antisemitism in higher education

Australian Research Council Act 2001

1 Section 4

Insert

antisemitism: see section 4A.

2 At the end of Part 1

Add:

4A Meaning of antisemitism

antisemitism means a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

Note 1: Manifestations of antisemitism might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. However, criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic. Antisemitism frequently charges Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for "why things go wrong." It is expressed in speech, writing, visual forms and action, and employs sinister stereotypes and negative character traits.

Examples of antisemitism in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in the religious sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are not limited to the following:

(a) calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion;

(b) making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective—such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions;

(c) accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews;

(d) denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust);

(e) accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust;

(f) accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations;

(g) denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour;

(h) applying double standards by requiring of it a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation;

(i) using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis;

(j) Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis;

(k) holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.

Note 2: The definition in this section, and the material in Note 1, is taken from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism, as published as at 14 December 2025 on the Alliance's website (http://holocaustremembrance.com).

3 After paragraph 49( 2)( eb )

Insert:

(ec) require that the organisation, and each researcher involved in the research project concerned, must not promote, enable or amplify antisemitism; and

4 At the end of section 58

Add:

(3) Without limiting subparagraph (1)(a)(i) or subsection (2), the eligibility criteria must include that an application must not relate to an organisation, research program or research project that promotes, enables or amplifies antisemitism.

(4) Without limiting subparagraph (1)(a)(iv), the rules must deal with any other matters that the Board considers appropriate to ensure that financial assistance to an organisation under a funding agreement is not used to promote, enable or amplify antisemitism.

5 Transitional provision — variation of funding approvals

A funding approval made under section 48 of the Australian Research Council Act 2001 that is in force when this item commencesis revoked, by force of this item, at the end of the 6-month period beginning at that time unless the approval is varied, before the end of that period, to require that the relevant organisation, and each researcher involved in the research project concerned, must not promote, enable or amplify antisemitism.

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011

6 Section 5

Insert

antisemitic means the conduct of expressing antisemitism.

antisemitism: see section 5A.

7 After section 5

Insert:

5A Meaning of antisemitism

antisemitism means a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

Note 1: Manifestations of antisemitism might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. However, criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic. Antisemitism frequently charges Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for "why things go wrong." It is expressed in speech, writing, visual forms and action, and employs sinister stereotypes and negative character traits.

Examples of antisemitism in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in the religious sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are not limited to the following:

(a) calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion;

(b) making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective—such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions;

(c) accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews;

(d) denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust);

(e) accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust;

(f) accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations;

(g) denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour;

(h) applying double standards by requiring of it a behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation;

(i) using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis;

(j) Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis;

(k) holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.

Note 2: The definition in this section, and the material in Note 1, is taken from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism, as published as at 14 December 2025 on the Alliance's website (http://holocaustremembrance.com).

8 Paragraph 24(a)

Omit "31", substitute "31A".

9 After section 31

Insert:

31A Condition — preventing, combatting and responding to antisemitism

(1) A registered higher education provider must adopt and implement for all purposes the definition of antisemitism in this Act.

(2) A registered higher education provider must ensure the provider prevents, combats and responds to antisemitism.

(3) Without limiting subsection (2), a registered higher education provider must take appropriate steps to:

(a) recognise the specific and unique nature of antisemitism; and

(b) understand how antisemitism manifests in modern times; and

(c) publicly reject antisemitism in all its forms; and

(d) put in place adequate arrangements to deal with antisemitism on campus, after appropriate consideration of:

(i) the adequacy of their policies and rules, and the nature and extent of their enforcement of these policies and rules; and

(ii) their disciplinary procedures and complaints handling processes; and

(iii) any differences between their approach to antisemitism and other forms of discrimination; and

(e) put in place adequate arrangements for the security and safety of Jewish students, academics, staff and visitors, including for:

(i) physical safety; and

(ii) the display of cultural and religious symbols; and

(iii) barring or expelling people from campus for antisemitic activity; and

(f) adopt and implement policies and procedures to prevent academics, staff and students from engaging in:

(i) de facto boycotts against collaborations with Jewish or Israeli academics, institutions, students or staff; or

(ii) any other antisemitic discrimination or vilification; and

(g) take steps to ensure that antisemitic content is not included in course and teaching materials, or delivered during lectures, tutorials and other classes; and

(h) provide adequate support arrangements for academics, staff and students experiencing antisemitism on or off campus.

10 After subsection 58(1)

Insert:

(1A) Without limiting subsection (1), the Threshold Standards must include standards against which the compliance of a registered higher education provider with the condition of registration in section 31A can be assessed.

11 Application provision — registered higher education providers

Section 31A of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011, as inserted by this Schedule, applies in relation to registered higher education providers whether registered before or after the commencement of this item.

Slade Brockman

The question is that opposition amendments (1) and (2) on sheet 4037 be agreed to.