Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal appeared before the federal Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion on July 30, 2026. The session placed her education agenda before an inquiry that is still gathering evidence and has not issued its final recommendations.

The commission’s sixth hearing block ran from July 28 to July 31 and examined guidance, training and policy frameworks for schools, workplaces, government agencies, healthcare and the arts. The commission is considering how those systems could prevent and respond to antisemitic conduct while strengthening social cohesion.

Segal’s plan puts education at the center

Segal has argued for an age-appropriate and nationally consistent approach to teaching the history and modern forms of antisemitism. When she launched her plan in July 2025, she also called for professional development for teachers and public servants and continued accountability for universities.

The Australian government adopted the plan in December 2025 and created a 12-month education taskforce chaired by David Gonski. The taskforce includes the envoy and representatives from Australian federal, state and territory education departments, public and private school bodies, universities, vocational education and regulators.

The taskforce commissioned reviews of Australia’s school curriculum and early-years framework and developed resources for educators, teachers and parents. Its remit covers the education and training cycle from early childhood through schools, vocational education and universities. Those projects are government initiatives running alongside the royal commission, not decisions made by the inquiry.

A government hearing room with rows of desks and microphones (illustrative image)

A new hub begins with 50 resources

Australia’s Social Cohesion Education Hub launched on June 30 with 50 existing resources, around half focused on antisemitism. The collection includes classroom materials and professional-learning tools that were reviewed by an advisory group of education and social-cohesion specialists.

The Australian government committed A$6 million over five years to establish and maintain the hub. Education ministers also asked the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, which develops Australia’s national curriculum framework, to review opportunities to address antisemitism and strengthen teaching about Australian civic values.

The launch did not establish whether the initial materials change student behavior or reduce antisemitic incidents. APPI News could not find a published evaluation method for the first 50 resources in the official materials reviewed for this report.

The commission will decide what becomes a recommendation

Segal’s testimony sits within a wider inquiry into the prevalence and drivers of antisemitism, the December 2025 Bondi Beach attack and possible reforms to law enforcement and social policy. The education plan, taskforce and hub provide the commission with existing programs to examine, but none should be treated as a final finding.

The inquiry was established after the Bondi Beach terrorist attack killed 15 people and wounded 40, and Royal Commissioner Virginia Bell must deliver the final report by December 14, 2026. Its recommendations may support, revise or reject proposals presented during the hearings.