AHPRA/IHRA

I haven’t had many questions about this during the campaign to date but two questions came up during an online debate on 16 August, organised by the Facebook group GPs Down Under. My reply to both questions is below:

It feels as though even thinking about what is happening in Gaza/Palestine/Lebanon could land a doctor in trouble these days. Which, even if you are happy to support the ongoing destruction of those parts of our world, is very odd indeed. With our sworn duty to work in the service of humanity, and our focus on preventing illness, pain and premature death, it would seem to be our duty to speak up if we find ourselves supporting violence and destruction via our taxes. And doctors have a long and proud history of standing up for human rights wherever they are under threat.

I have personally donated to Perth Doctors Medical Aid for Palestine, having listened to sources I trust with direct experience of the situation there, and find myself agreeing with almost the full spectrum of support for Palestinians as expressed by the Jewish Council of Australia, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, Amnesty International, and many independent writers and activists. I have attended a few support marches and meetings and am yet to hear any expressions in these fora of hatred towards Jewish people, there often being Jewish people present supporting Palestinians along with everyone else.

I do of course hear plenty of criticisms of the actions of the State of Israel but even amongst those who consider themselves activists this tends (in my limited experience, admittedly) to be nuanced and focussed on an Israeli government that is seen to have lost its way and become addicted to violence. I have, however, heard many frankly antisemitic comments and slurs in ordinary conversation with folk who are very clearly not Palestinian or supporters of Palestinians, but who do not feel at risk of having their comments used against them. Which makes me wonder if we are misdiagnosing the problem, starting to criminalise support for humans called Palestinians rather than working on pervasive racism among us humans called Australians.

Which is the long way of saying that I have signed two letters (to AHPRA and the AMA) seeking their support for removing reference to the concerningly broad and support-suppressing IHRA definition of antisemitism, widely thought to be an inappropriate tool for the task of addressing racism. Using this definition seems to be more about rehearsing suppression of free speech than it is about countering antisemitism, and risks undermining the important work already done to address a pervasive antisemitism, anti-Islamism, and general racism.

The College has an opportunity here to push back on suppression of free speech before it becomes the norm. Silence now, censorship later.

How long before doctors will feel unable to support a woman’s right to health care unimpeded by potential criminalisation of her choices about her own body, or argue against denial of health care to the “wrong” type of immigrant? As ethical leaders we have the power, and the obligation, to speak out now.