Letters read in Senate expose AHRC mistreatment of pro-Palestine staff
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A former AHRC staff member claims that the management views her Palestinian identity as a risk and leaks information about her to a "shock jock".
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Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, undated (Social media)
Human rights lawyer Sara Saleh has claimed that senior management at the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) viewed her Palestinian identity as a risk and even leaked details about her to a right-wing commentator, as revealed in a Senate session.
Saleh, who worked as a legal researcher at the commission, is among at least seven employees who resigned in the last quarter, citing concerns over the AHRC’s treatment of staff who express support for Palestinians, according to Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi.
Faruqi, speaking in the Senate on Wednesday, read excerpts from four resignation letters under parliamentary privilege, highlighting the growing internal dissent. She said, "Sara Saleh’s resignation letter spoke of how her identity was viewed as a risk by senior management, and how a rightwing hit piece on her was circulated."
Guardian Australia reported that the "hit piece" article targeted Sara Saleh’s appointment at the AHRC, criticizing her public support for Palestinians and her stance against "Israel". The article was then circulated to commission staff as part of the daily media roundup.
In her resignation letter, which was read in the Senate by Mehreen Faruqi, Saleh expressed that the "deliberate circulation" of a "defamatory" news article was "egregious, damaging to my reputation, and deeply hurtful." She added that it sent a chilling message to staff of color, signaling that the commission is capable of distributing hostile commentary about them in the future.
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In July, 2GB radio host Ray Hadley claimed in an "exclusive" report that the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) had confirmed Sara Saleh’s resignation. Saleh’s resignation letter, quoted by Mehreen Faruqi in the Senate, revealed that this information was disclosed against her wishes, enabling “radio shock jocks, among others, to publicly humiliate me and attack my reputation.”
Another former staff member, Hiero Badge, also voiced concerns in their resignation letter, claiming the presence of "internal suppression of pro-Palestinian perspectives and voices" within the commission. Faruqi shared these details under parliamentary privilege, highlighting a broader issue of stifled expression regarding Palestinian support within the AHRC.
“In one instance, I was informally cautioned by a senior official for using the phrase ‘from the river to the sea’ on my personal social media. Similarly, I was informally reprimanded for summarising a UN press release on the situation of women and girls in Gaza,” Badge’s letter reads.
Another resignation letter quoted by Faruqi alleged institutional racism and hostile working conditions at the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). Faruqi attempted to table the four letters in the Senate, but her request was denied.
A global campaign against pro-Palestine views has led to widespread consequences. Employees, professors, students, and others are facing serious repercussions for expressing support for Palestine. This includes job losses, academic penalties, and social backlash, highlighting the growing suppression of pro-Palestine voices worldwide.
Only last month, the Cultural Workers Against Genocide (CWAG) claimed on July 10 that fourteen ICA staff members were informed of their impending redundancies in March.
The staff members from London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) linked their termination to their pro-Palestine activism, namely their involvement in posting a letter on the ICA’s website urging the institution to boycott “Israel” amid its genocide in Gaza, the Cultural Workers Against Genocide (CWAG) claimed.
