Professor Jennifer Westacott, appearing before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, shares her personal journey of confronting antisemitism.She recounts growing up with a father who held antisemitic views, including a chilling childhood memory where he justified violence against Jews.

Westacott highlights how societal silence allowed hatred to fester, leading to targeted attacks on Jewish students and staff in Australian universities.She criticizes institutions for failing to address hate speech, which she describes as deliberate intimidation rather than free debate.The professor emphasizes the need for collective action, education, and institutional courage to dismantle antisemitism permanently.

Her testimony underscores the urgent call to prevent historical failures from repeating, ensuring Jewish Australians feel safe in academic environments.