To the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA),

As AHPRA registered healthcare practitioners, we reject all forms of discrimination. Racism in all its forms, including antisemitism and Islamophobia, weakens and divides our communities and is obstructive to the effective delivery of healthcare. We also acknowledge our important role as advocates. The freedom to disagree with the official government position of the day is a requirement of effective health advocacy on this continent and abroad.

Criticism of Israel and the ideology of Zionism are not antisemitism. Israel’s apartheid regime, war crimes and genocide of the Palestinian people are well documented. This includes the repeated bombings of hospitals (1), targeting and murdering of healthcare workers (2) and preventing vital medical supplies from entering Gaza (3). As healthcare workers, we assert our right to comment on, criticise and organise against crimes against humanity and the systematic destruction and targeting of healthcare workers, wherever this occurs. These actions are consistent with our professional standards.

On June 17 2026, AHPRA announced that it had adopted the controversial IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism (4), which conflates legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. AHPRA also stated that the handbook (5) released by the Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, would guide its regulatory action. One of the examples of antisemitism it provides is “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.” Since then, AHPRA CEO Justin Untersteiner, revealed that AHPRA is actively monitoring the social media (6) of registered healthcare practitioners.

This controversial definition has already been rejected in Australia by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation and overseas by the British Medical Association. AHPRA’s reckless adoption of it exposes organisations to unnecessary risk. It will also result in the traumatising of healthcare workers who are inappropraitely censored and sanctioned by its use.

Using our professional regulatory bodies to silence political dissent and the raising of ethical concerns sets a dangerous precedent. It serves to create a culture of fear among healthcare workers and stifle pro-Palestinian and global health advocacy more broadly. Despite the risk to our registrations, we refuse to be silenced while Israel continues to target hospitals, healthcare workers, and, for those of us with family and friends in Gaza, their families and the families of the people they care for.

We, the undersigned AHPRA registered healthcare practitioners, call on AHPRA and our respective National Boards to:

1. Immediately suspend the endorsement and application of the IHRA definition.
2. Continue to rely upon existing statutory obligations, professional codes, standards and anti-discrimination laws when assessing allegations of racism, discrimination and antisemitism.

References:
(1) https://www.msf.org/strikes-raids-and-incursions-year-relentless-attacks-healthcare-palestine
(2) https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jul/29/they-targeted-us-directly-how-the-israel-lebanon-war-became-deadly-for-healthcare-workers
(3) https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/03/20/gaza-israeli-military-war-crimes-while-occupying-hospitals
(4) https://www.ahpra.gov.au/News/2026-06-17-Eliminating-antisemitism-in-healthcare
(5) https://www.aseca.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-04/understanding-antisemitism-in-australia.pdf
(6) https://michaelwest.com.au/royal-commission-lawyers-spar-over-gaza-genocide-health-regulator-admits-segal-pressure