# University of Technology Sydney 'Poorly Managed' Jewish Student Complaints, Ombudsman Finds

> The National Student Ombudsman concluded that UTS failed to follow its own complaint procedures after a March 2025 pro-Palestine protest, drawing criticism from Australia's Education Minister.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-19T19:24:14.191271Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/university-of-technology-sydney-poorly-managed-jewish-student-complaints-ombudsman-finds-71f16fc3

The National Student Ombudsman concluded around October 19, 2026, that the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) "poorly managed" complaints from Jewish students following a March 2025 pro-Palestine protest [1][4][5][8][9]. The NSO found that UTS "failed to follow its complaints policy and procedure and did not respond productively to student feedback" [5].

This finding indicates systemic issues in how UTS addresses student grievances, particularly concerning antisemitism, raising concerns for student welfare and trust in university administration [3][5].

## What the records show
The National Student Ombudsman (NSO) determined that UTS "poorly managed" complaints lodged by Jewish students after a pro-Palestine protest in March 2025 [1][4][8][9]. The NSO's findings stated UTS "failed to follow its complaints policy and procedure and did not respond productively to student feedback" [5]. Education Minister Jason Clare echoed these concerns, stating that UTS had "let Jewish students down" [7]. The NSO criticized a UTS action plan for "publicly and wrongly named AUJS [Australasian Union of Jewish Students] as an example of a group that failed to follow university processes" [3]. The NSO concluded this specific finding was "shaped by bias and incorrect information" [3]. Some Jewish students reportedly received no response or only generic replies [5].

## The timeline
Antisemitism concerns at UTS predate the March 2025 protest. In May 2024, a study room near a designated safe space for Jewish students at UTS was defaced with swastikas [3]. No disciplinary action was taken despite CCTV reviews [3]. The pro-Palestine protest in March 2025 led to the complaints from Jewish students [1][4][8][9]. Moshe Kadoury of AUJS spoke in April 2025 about attempts to marginalize Jewish students after these protests [3]. In March 2026, a separate NSO report, "Walk the Talk," found UTS failed to act on recommendations regarding gender-based violence and sexual harm [5]. The NSO's findings on the Jewish student complaints were released around October 19, 2026 [1][5].

## What changed and for whom
The NSO's findings pressure UTS to reform its complaint handling procedures [3][5]. AUJS has consistently voiced concerns that university policies are inconsistently applied and inadequate in addressing antisemitic conduct [3]. The NSO's role is to respond to student complaints concerning their studies and student life [2][7].

## What UTS has said publicly
UTS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Kylie Readman acknowledged the NSO's findings [6]. Readman stated UTS "had not moved quickly enough" [6]. She claimed the university made "significant progress" and committed to implementing all NSO recommendations [6].

## What we could not confirm
We could not confirm the specific details of the "significant progress" UTS claims to have made. The exact number of Jewish students who filed complaints following the March 2025 protest was not specified. The precise content of the "generic replies" some students reportedly received also remains unconfirmed.

## Evidence cited
1. UTS 'poorly managed' Jewish student complaints after pro-Palestine protest (www.abc.net.au) — https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-20/nsw-uts-review-findings-complaints-handling-palestine-protests/107284820
2. NSW Government Contextual Information (NSW Government) — https://www.nsw.gov.au/
3. Report on Jewish Student Concerns and Antisemitism at Universities (Australian Jewish News) — https://www.australianjewishnews.com/
4. News Report on UTS Complaint Handling and NSO Findings (Cedar News) — https://www.cedarnews.net/
5. National Student Ombudsman (NSO) Official Findings on UTS (National Student Ombudsman) — https://www.nso.gov.au/
6. University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Official Response Regarding Complaints (University of Technology Sydney) — https://www.uts.edu.au/
7. Australian Department of Education Statement on UTS (Australian Department of Education) — https://www.education.gov.au/
8. Campus Review Report on UTS Complaint Management (Campus Review) — https://www.campusreview.com.au/
9. Regional News Coverage of University Complaint Issues (Shepparton News) — https://www.sheppnews.com.au/