The 2026 lecture will be delivered by Hon. Dr Gary Johns, examining Why the Left Shifted Against Israel – and the Impact on the Jewish Community of Australia. A former federal Labor minister, academic and public intellectual, Dr Johns brings decades of experience analysing ideological movements, identity politics and political realignment. He will explore how shifts within progressive politics have translated into hostility toward Israel, and how this ideological turn has fuelled antisemitism, exclusion and insecurity for Jewish Australians.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Robert Gregory of the Australian Jewish Association, a leading national voice advocating for Jewish community safety, democratic values and a firm response to antisemitism and extremism.

The Melanie Phillips Annual Lecture Series was established following Melanie Phillips’ 2025 visit to Australia, where she launched her book The Builder’s Stone. The series, now presented under the banner Under Siege, honours her intellectual leadership and ongoing work confronting antisemitism, moral inversion and the erosion of democratic values.

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