Australia antisemitism royal commission hears claims of abuse and workplace pressure

Australia's royal commission into antisemitism has heard fresh testimony that Jewish Australians have faced verbal abuse, pressure to resign and hostility at work during its fourth day of public hearings.

The commission also heard evidence from Australia's antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, who said hatred towards Jews had become "almost fashionable".

A Sydney nurse, identified as AAV, told the hearing she had been called "Zionist scum" by colleagues and said New South Wales Health was "not safe for Jewish people".

AAV, a nurse manager and dual Australian-Israeli citizen, said she blamed NSW Health for failing to act on the behaviour she described.

She said a manager had told her to remove posters of hostages and a yellow ribbon from her office wall because they might upset or offend others.

The testimony matters because it points to allegations of antisemitism inside workplaces and public services, not only in private interactions.

It also comes as the commission examines how Jewish Australians say their daily lives and access to services have been affected since 7 October 2023.

The hearing heard that some Jewish Australians had been told to use "less obviously Jewish" names and had felt pressure to resign.

Sarah, a clinical psychologist, also told the commission that Jewish people were seeking psychological support as harassment increased.

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