Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion
Today, the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion begins its work with Commissioner Virginia Bell AC SC officially presiding over proceedings at 10:30 am, Tuesday 24th Feb.
The Muslim Vote (TMV) will actively monitor and engage with the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion from the outset. We are doing so deliberately and responsibly because the findings of this Commission will shape the legal, political, and social framework within which our communities operate for years to come.
Today’s hearing will focus on procedural matters and the structure of the inquiry. An interim report is due by 30 April 2026, with a final report due by 14 December 2026.
The Commission provides opportunities for public submissions and attendance, marking a key moment for organisations like TMV and broader civil society to participate in shaping the national response.
Social cohesion cannot be built on collective attribution or premature conclusions. It depends upon evidentiary facts, definitional clarity, and equal application of the law. That is why TMV is engaged, and why broader community participation is essential.
For decades, and particularly following the Bondi attacks, entire communities have been drawn into suspicion because of the actions of individuals. Public commentary and political rhetoric have too readily extended the conduct of a sole perpetrator into broader assumptions and suspicions about Muslim and Palestinian Australians. Legislative changes have been introduced, and public narratives hardened while investigations remain incomplete. When laws move faster than facts, and communities are spoken about as risk categories rather than as citizens, collective blame takes root.
Engagement in this Commission is therefore not optional; it is essential. We are participating to insist on clear distinctions: individual criminal responsibility must remain individual; protest must not be collapsed into incitement; political dissent must not be redefined as racial hostility. Evidence must come before attribution. Proof must precede policy. If those standards are not defended, they erode.
