Overview
- The Age said it was sorry for the distress caused by a January 7 Cathy Wilcox cartoon that many Jewish readers found offensive.
- The masthead noted it had championed a federal royal commission after the December 14 Bondi massacre that killed 15 people and injured dozens.
- Former High Court justice Virginia Bell has begun leading the Commonwealth inquiry focused on antisemitism and the events preceding the attack.
- An editorial highlighted related cultural flashpoints, including withdrawals from Adelaide Writers’ Week after Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah was removed from the program.
- A Brisbane Times opinion argued systemic institutional failures enabled rising hatred, citing reported surges in antisemitic incidents and urging enforceable reforms, education and transparency.