Canberra, Australia – The selection process for the individual tasked with assessing how Australian universities handle antisemitism has come under scrutiny, with new information revealing that Jillian Segal’s office directly appointed Greg Craven after initial attempts to outsource the work failed. Documents obtained through freedom of information requests show that a planned open tender process for the controversial university report card was abandoned when five invited firms declined to bid.
Segal's office then moved to a direct selection of individuals, with Craven being the first approached for the role. The initiative, aimed at grading universities on their response to antisemitism, has already seen significant pushback regarding its scope and potential implications for academic freedom and institutional funding. Universities are to be graded on criteria including their complaint mechanisms, antisemitism training programs, and the adoption of a specific definition of antisemitism.
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Direct Appointment After Tender Failure
The initial plan to engage independent consulting or law firms for the assessment fell through when Segal’s office approached three consulting firms and two law firms, none of whom expressed interest in participating. This led to a pivot, with Segal’s office developing a shortlist of five individuals. Records indicate that Greg Craven was the primary target, with other candidates only to be contacted should he decline. Craven, a constitutional lawyer and former vice-chancellor of the Australian Catholic University, was subsequently appointed to lead the report card project.
The Broader Context of the Antisemitism Envoy's Plan
The university report card is part of a wider strategy proposed by Jillian Segal, Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism. Since her appointment in July 2025, Segal has advocated for stringent measures to address rising antisemitism, which she has stated has surged by over 300% in Australia in the past year. Her proposals have included the potential termination of government funding for universities and cultural institutions found to be failing in their response to antisemitism.
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Segal's plan also encompasses broader societal changes, such as embedding Holocaust and antisemitism education into school curricula and reviewing Australia's hate speech laws. The potential for funding cuts has raised concerns among universities and academics about threats to academic independence and free speech. The 'Group of Eight' universities, represented by CEO Vicki Thomson, has questioned the efficacy of funding withdrawal as a tool for improvement.
Universities Face Scrutiny Over Protests and Antisemitism
The report card initiative gained particular traction following several pro-Palestine encampments at major universities, including the University of Sydney, the Australian National University, and the University of Melbourne. These protests drew criticism from some Jewish groups, leading universities to implement new restrictions. The assessment of universities will include their handling of such protests and their overall responsiveness to complaints and concerns regarding antisemitism.
Segal's push for the wider adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism has also met with some opposition. While Universities Australia members agreed to adopt a new definition after consultation with Segal in February 2026, the envoy’s broader proposals have generated debate, with some viewing her approach as overly personal and potentially impractical for government adoption.
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