The doctors’ union says it is concerned that aspects of the newly adopted definition will create uncertainty about what forms of commentary may attract scrutiny.
The Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation of NSW has added its name to the growing list of organisations calling on AHPRA to rescind its adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism.
It joins the NSW Australian Nurses and Midwifery Federation, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, Health Workers 4 Palestine South Australia, the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, Liberty Victoria and the Medical Association for Prevention of War Australia.
In a statement, ASMOF NSW reiterated that it condemned all forms of racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, hatred and discrimination in healthcare, but was concerned that AHPRA’s adoption of the IHRA definition risked “suppressing legitimate professional advocacy and public debate”.
“While we strongly support efforts to eliminate all forms of racism, including antisemitism, within healthcare, we are concerned that aspects of the IHRA Working Definition and its accompanying examples risk conflating legitimate criticism of government policies and actions with antisemitism,” the union said.
“This creates uncertainty for medical practitioners and raises concerns about the potential impact on lawful public commentary, humanitarian advocacy and evidence-based public advocacy on matters of public interest.”
The definition itself was formulated by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2016 and has been endorsed by the governments of multiple countries, including Australia.
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It defines antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews” and directed “toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities”.
“Manifestations might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity,” the definition’s explanatory notes read.
“However, criticism of Israel similar to that levelled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.”
In the examples given, the IHRA identifies statements “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” as antisemitic.
AHPRA announced that it would be adopting the definition in a joint statement with Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism last month. The regulator will also be reviewing its vexatious notifications framework.
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ASMOF NSW said Australia already had “comprehensive legal, professional and regulatory frameworks prohibiting discrimination, harassment and vilification” alongside anti-discrimination legislation, national law, workplace policies and professional codes of conduct.
“These frameworks already provide substantial powers to address racist, discriminatory and unprofessional conduct without creating uncertainty around lawful professional expression,” the doctors union said.
Alongside rescinding its adoption of the IHRA antisemitism definition, ASMOF NSW called on AHPRA to strengthen safeguards against vexatious, politically motivated or bad-faith notifications and to ensure that efforts to combat antisemitism are accompanied by an equal commitment to addressing Islamophobia and “all other forms of racism”.
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