Josh Frydenberg told he will not be summoned as witness to antisemitism commission

Josh Frydenberg, former federal treasurer and prominent figure in Australia’s Jewish community, announced that the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion will not call him as a witness, despite his earlier submission and willingness to testify. He had championed the establishment of the inquiry following the Bondi Beach terror attack on December 14, 2025, and has been active on social-cohesion issues for three years.

Frydenberg learned of the decision from the commission’s legal team on a Friday and declined further comment to one outlet. The commission, which has already heard from politicians Joshua Burns, Mark Dreyfus and Julian Leeser, also receives input from the Dor Foundation, an organisation founded by Frydenberg. A separate hearing featured questioning of Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip by lawyers for the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network and the Palestine Action Group, prompting Frydenberg to criticize the exchange in an opinion piece. Commissioner Virginia Bell rejected claims that pro-Palestinian groups were hijacking the inquiry and defended the procedural fairness of the cross-examination.