Primary school pupil ‘celebrated’ Bondi terror attack
Claim raised in Australian parliament links alleged antisemitic school incident to the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack
An alleged antisemitic incident involving an Australian primary school pupil who “celebrated” the deaths of victims of the Bondi terror attack has been raised in parliament.
The claim emerged during a New South Wales budget estimates hearing on Wednesday, where independent Sydney MP Tania Mihailuk said the incident was one of “at least 100 antisemitic incidents” reported across NSW public schools since early 2024.
According to Mihailuk, the alleged incident took place at Granville South Public School in western Sydney following the Bondi Beach attack and was reported to the Department of Education’s incident hotline.
During the hearing, Mihailuk asked Murat Dizdar, Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, whether he had been informed.
“I understand a notification was made… were you aware of that?” she asked.
Dizdar said incidents reported in schools are generally handled at school level unless further escalation is required.
“Well, it’s not going to be notified to me as a secretary, the principal’s going to deal with that matter at the school level, they’re going to report it to the hotline… if they need advice,” he said.
Mihailuk pressed officials on how such incidents are handled given the seriousness of the terror attack.
“But isn’t the gravity of what we’re dealing with, with a terror attack… and as you’ve said earlier… that you’re doing everything you can to stop instances of anti-Semitism in our schools,” she said.
Dizdar responded that he would normally be informed if an incident had not been handled properly and added that he is in regular contact with the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.
“You’ve got to appreciate that with close to 780,000 students, four million humans in public schools every day. I’m not going to get every single incident,” he said.
“Look, I don’t recall that specific incident, but it’s probably best that I come back on notice with a response.”
NewsWire reported that the alleged remark was made by one student, and no other pupils were involved.
NSW Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car described the report as “disgusting”.
However, the NSW Department of Education later disputed the allegation.
“Claims made during a Budget Estimates hearing relating to an incident at Granville South Public School are false,” a department spokesperson said.
“We reject all forms of religious discrimination and racism in our schools.”
The claim surfaced during wider discussions about antisemitism in Australian schools, with Mihailuk telling the hearing that dozens of incidents have been reported since early 2024.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
