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Royal Commission Shifts Focus to Online Hate and Media Coverage
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion resumed public hearings this week to examine online hate and media reporting. Closed-door evidence covered intelligence and policing conduct before the December 2025 Bondi Beach attack. A final report is due by the one-year anniversary of that attack.
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The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion resumed public hearings this week, turning its attention to the spread of online hate and the role of media outlets. Previous sessions were held in private because of national security and legal concerns.
Evidence presented in those closed sessions included details about the conduct of intelligence and policing agencies before the Bondi Beach terrorist attack on December 14, 2025.
Witnesses told the commission that some mainstream outlets minimised antisemitism in their reporting after the October 2023 start of the Israel-Gaza war. One witness said she saw one-sided coverage every morning on television in the weeks after Israel's attack on Gaza.
"They never talk about Israelis' pain and it's very difficult to avoid," the witness told the commission. An SBS spokesperson said the outlet had submitted evidence and provides accurate, balanced and impartial coverage in line with its Code of Practice and Charter.
The ABC also made a submission, though it has not been made public.
Both organisations were required to comply with a National Archives of Australia disposal freeze notice that prevents destruction of records related to antisemitism and social cohesion. The Dor Foundation analysed 1,000 offensive social media posts, some of which contained AI-generated images depicting victims of antisemitism as animals.
Commissioner Virginia Bell issued a warning in May about the level of hatred and bigotry directed at members of the Jewish community.
