The nation’s taxpayer-funded Antisemitism Envoy Jillian Segal remains a top executive of a major pro-Israel lobby group, more than two years into the role.
In September last year The Klaxon revealed Segal remained a top officeholder of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), despite having been appointed Antisemitism Envoy in July 2024.
It can now be revealed that Segal did not stand down from the ECAJ after the revelations.
Instead, Segal remains one of the ECAJ’S five official “office bearers”, which also include ECAJ president Daniel Aghion and deputy president Robert Goot.
The ECAJ is a highly-partisan pro-Israel lobby group.
It has lobbied for crackdowns on protestors; attacked the Albanese Government’s recognition of the Palestinian state; and heavily criticised United Nations Commission of Inquiry findings that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
As previously reported, Segal, a career lawyer, has refused to directly answer the Senate when asked whether she still holds any roles at the ECAJ.
Jillian Segal and ECAJ CEO Alex Ryvchin Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP
The revelations come as Greens Senator David Shoebridge has called on Segal to “correct the record”, after making a series of false claims in sworn testimony to the antisemitism royal commission last week.
Segal, who has engaged in long-running attacks on the ABC and SBS, the nation’s two most trusted news sources, claimed UN statistics reported by SBS were “grossly inaccurate”.
Segal also claimed the UN accepted its statistics were “grossly inaccurate” — yet provided no evidence to back her claims.
“SBS and ABC have not reported death tolls that are ‘grossly inflated’, in fact the figures from the Gaza health ministry are conservative when compared to what other institutions, such as Lancet, have estimated,” Shoebridge told DeepCut News, which reported Segal’s false claims.
“Claims by Ms Segal that the UN have said the figures are ‘grossly inaccurate’ must also be corrected, because they are not truthful,” Shoebridge said.
“At a time when tensions are so high, people in positions of power and authority cannot be so casual with the truth, especially about a genocide”.
It is an offence to intentionally provide false or misleading testimony to a royal commission.
“People in positions of power and authority cannot be so casual with the truth, especially about a genocide” — Senator David Shoebridge
Smoke and mirrors
Segal’s role at the ECAJ is titled “Immediate Past President”.
Under the ECAJ constitution, once the ECAJ president completes their term, they take take on the official role titled “Immediate Past President”.
Segal was ECAJ president for four years until November 2023.
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The ECAJ’s office bearers include the position of “Immediate Past President”. Source: ECAJ Constitution
According to the ECAJ’s constitution, the Immediate Past President is responsible for the ECAJ’s “Committee of Management”, which formulates the ECAJ’s “policy and direction”.
When asked by Senate estimates whether she still has any role with the ECAJ, Segal has refused to directly answer the question.
Timeline:
2024 July — Albanese announces Segal as Antisemitism Envoy
2025 Sep — Revealed that Segal is a current ECAJ official
2025 Dec — Segal refuses to directly answer Senate
2026 July — Segal remains a top ECAJ official
In October last year, following The Klaxon’s revelations, Segal was asked in Senate estimates about her ties to the ECAJ.
“Do you still have any role at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry?”, she was formally asked.
“Do you still have any role at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry?” — Senate Committee
Segal did not directly respond.
She provided a written response stating only: “Ms Segal ender her ECAJ Presidency on 26 November 2023, at the completion of her term”.
The Committee also asked Segal: “When did you finish all your roles at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry?”
“When did you finish all your roles at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry?” — Senate Committee
Again Segal dodged the question.
She responded only: “Upon her appointment as the Special Envoy, she specifically withdrew from any authority or decision making power within the organisation”.
Segal did not disclose she remains one of the lobby group’s top office holders.
Segal’s ECAJ bio was quietly changed after The Klaxon’s September 19 expose. Source: ECAJ
The Klaxon revealed Segal remained a top ECAJ officeholder on September 19 last year.
Segal’s ECAJ bio was changed, with the following statement added:
“Since her appointment, Jillian has stepped aside from all duties as Immediate Past President of the ECAJ and has not played any part in any decision-making of the ECAJ”.
That statement was published at least 14 months after Segal was appointed Antisemitism Envoy.
Neither Segal or the ECAJ has provided any evidence to support the statement.
Dodging the question: Segal’s responses to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.
The ECAJ refused to respond to a series of questions from The Klaxon yesterday.
We asked whether any ECAJ meeting minutes, since July 9 2024 when Segal was appointed Antisemitism Envoy, “cite Ms Segal’s involvement in any ECAJ decision-making processes”.
We also asked: “On what date did Ms Segal step aside from all duties as Immediate Past President of the ECAJ?”
As Antisemitism Envoy, Segal has taken extreme stances, such as calling for pro-Palestinian demonstrations to be “banned” from Australia’s inner cities; for sweeping new speech laws; to “monitor” media; and for funding to universities to be cut if they did not act against “antisemitism”.
As previously reported, Segal is paid $1,070 a day as Antisemitism Envoy, and has appointed six staff in two offices, with the role costing taxpayers over $1 million a year.
Do you know more? anthonyklan@protonmail.com
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Anthony Klan
Editor, The Klaxon
