Exclusive – Jillian Segal declared conflicts for Envoy role. Why won’t the government reveal them?

Declaration comes amid growing criticism of Segal’s affiliations with pro-Israel organisations

Jillian Segal, the nation’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, has refused to answer questions about conflicts of interest she declared when she took on the government-appointed role.

A conflict of interest declaration, obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request and seen by Deepcut, reveals Segal acknowledged that she “has interests which conflict or which may conflict with those of the Commonwealth, including in relation to its requirements for [the role of Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism]”.

Government ‘hiding conflicts’

Details of these “actual, potential or perceived” conflicts of interest have been redacted by the Department of Home Affairs. Information on “how any conflict(s), actual or perceived, will be managed if appointed”, including “any conflict mitigation strategy/ies for all directorships and advisory boards”, has also been redacted.

The revelations have led critics of Segal’s appointment to further question her suitability for the role. Dr Max Kaiser, executive officer of the Jewish Council of Australia, told Deepcut that “Segal’s conflicts of interest highlight exactly why her appointment in a role supposedly meant to combat racism is so problematic”.

“Someone tied to the Israeli arms trade and with continued involvement in the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – an organisation that has backed Israel’s genocide to the hilt and that routinely conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism – cannot credibly serve in this role,” Kaiser said.

Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi criticised the department’s redaction, saying “it is outrageous that the government is hiding the conflicts of interest for such a controversial position, even more so given how dangerous the envoy’s [antisemitism] plan would be for free speech in Australia”.

“Racism, fascism and hate are rising, but the Labor government seems to be more focused on hiding the Envoy’s conflicts of interest,” Faruqi said.

Responding to questions, a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said “the Special Envoys have been appointed as non-statutory Ministerial appointments. The Department does not comment on individual circumstances.”

Segal’s office did not respond to questions about what actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest Segal was aware of when she submitted the forms.

Segal’s controversial roles

Segal’s numerous other roles across the business, academic and lobbying sectors have been a source of controversy since her appointment in July 2024.

Segal serves on the board of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) as Immediate Past President. Addressing a ‘Rally for Peace and Solidarity with Israel’ as ECAJ’s president in 2021, Segal spoke of her “determination to drive anti-Zionism and antisemitism back into the darkest and most disreputable corners of our society from where they emerged”.

“The Australian Jewish community and its representative bodies stand with Israel and will always stand with Israel,” Segal declared at the time.

Segal is also on the international board of the Weizmann Institute of Science, an Israeli research university that has extensive commercial partnerships with Elbit Systems and other companies that collaborate with the Israeli military. Elbit chair, Michael Federmann, is a former Weizmann Institute board member.

In June, the Weizmann Institute’s Rehovot campus was struck by Iran during a 12-day war with Israel. The attack reportedly destroyed or damaged 90 per cent of the Institute’s buildings, forcing the relocation of dozens of Israeli and European research projects.

In 2012, documents obtained under United States FOI laws revealed the Federal Bureau of Investigation had investigated the Weizmann Institute for allegedly attempting to steal nuclear secrets from the US in 1993. The FBI investigation described the Weizmann Institute as an “academic organisation which conducts research in high-technology issue areas, including theoretical aspects of nuclear and conventional weapons development”.

The Special Envoy’s office did not respond to questions about whether Segal listed her membership on the Weizmann Institute’s board in her conflict of interest declaration.

The conflict of interest declaration also requires Segal to “declare any private interests or relationships of my immediate family that I am aware of should circumstances arise in which I consider that they could or could be seen to influence any decision I am taking or the advice I am giving in connection with the [Special Envoy] Engagement”.

The Special Envoy’s office did not answer questions as to whether Segal had declared the position of her husband, John Roth, as director of Henroth Investments Pty Ltd. In July, independent media outlet, The Klaxon, revealed that Henroth Investments donated $50,000 to far-right campaign group ADVANCE in 2023-24.

While Segal has denied involvement in the donation, the revelations prompted pro-Palestinian advocacy groups and Jewish organisations to declare her position as Special Envoy untenable. The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network called on the prime minister to sack Segal in July, saying Segal’s claims of no involvement were “inadequate and disingenuous”.

Besides campaigns to “stop immigration” and abandon Australia’s net-zero commitments, ADVANCE has called for people who march in pro-Palestinian demonstrations to be deported. The group’s current campaign to “stand for Israel” claims that “Labor/Green/Teal politicians, the media, the universities and the taxpayer funded bureaucrats and nonprofits are now mostly on the same side as Hamas”.