Australia's antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, has suggested that the ABC and SBS need an 'oversight' committee to vet their Israel coverage, because apparently the existing ombudsman isn't cutting it. Speaking to the royal commission on Thursday, Segal said there's a 'common and pervasive perception' in the Jewish community that the public broadcasters' coverage of the Middle East war 'lacked balance,' overemphasized Gaza, and gave too much airtime to anti-Israel voices. Anti-Israel perspectives, she clarified, are those critical of Israel's actions - just in case anyone was confused.

ABC editorial director Gavin Fang disagreed, noting that the broadcaster has editorial policies about not favoring one perspective and that they take audience feedback seriously. He didn't seem thrilled about another oversight body, asking, 'I'm not sure how another oversight body might function in addition to that existing oversight body, which already has the power to review and to examine the ABC's content.' Fair point.

Segal pointed to the UK's Ofcom as a model, which can fine the BBC and direct it to take down stories - though Ofcom's website notes it has 'no enforcement powers' for online material. She also said Jewish Australians are more frustrated with the existing watchdog ACMA than with the ABC itself.

The ABC's own data shows that complaints about Israel-Gaza coverage are split almost evenly: 51% said it was pro-Palestinian, 47% said it was pro-Israel, suggesting the perception of bias might just be a reflection of strongly held views rather than systematic favoritism. But Segal cited a specific error: an ABC report that '14,000 babies will die in the next 48 hours' in Gaza, which was actually meant to be 'in the next year.' The BBC corrected it before ABC aired it, but ABC's correction took too long and was less prominent, Segal argued.

Other examples included SBS using Gaza health ministry statistics, which Segal called 'grossly inflated' - though Israel has accepted the death toll of over 70,000 as broadly accurate. Segal suggested broadcasters could run more positive stories about Israel, because balance apparently means highlighting the good stuff too.

The royal commission, established after the Bondi beach terror attack, has been wrestling with how to define antisemitism without conflating it with criticism of Israel - a tricky line, especially since a UN commission described Israel's actions as a 'genocide,' a label Israel rejects.