Creative Australia chose not to seek reimbursement of a $43,000 grant awarded to illustrator and controversial author Matt Chun despite his involvement in a police investigation over a newsletter that criticized victims of the 2025 Bondi mass shooting, the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion was told on Friday.

Tim Blackwell, acting chief executive of Creative Australia, acknowledged that the agency was aware of the complaints against Chun, who is also an anti-Israel activist. The grant, provided in June 2023 for a children’s book project unrelated to the content of the complaints, was not subject to withdrawal under current policies. Blackwell explained that Creative Australia’s contractual authority to reclaim funds applies only if recipients breach anti-discrimination laws in connection with the specific projects they are funded for.

Counsel assisting the commission, Zelie Heger SC, questioned the scope of Creative Australia’s clawback provisions, suggesting they appeared broader than the funding body had applied. However, Blackwell maintained the organisation’s focus on the funded work rather than the personal conduct of the recipient.

Chun came under scrutiny following his participation in a 2024 doxing campaign targeting approximately 600 Jewish creatives. His newsletter, titled “We don’t mourn fascists” and issued shortly after the December 2025 Bondi attack that claimed 15 lives, attacked one victim, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, labeling him a “Zionist zealot” and criticized public mourning for the victims. New South Wales Police confirmed an ongoing investigation into the newsletter. Meanwhile, Queensland University Press, Chun’s publisher, canceled release of a forthcoming illustrated book, prompting some authors to boycott the press.

The commission also heard from Jewish members of Australia’s creative community, who described facing antisemitism, blacklisting, and social exclusion within the arts sector. One Brisbane comedian, testifying under the pseudonym CGM, reported being excluded from a comedy show due to his ethnicity and recounted incidents of verbal abuse and threats that went unchallenged by industry peers. He indicated that speaking publicly about such experiences often risked damaging his career.

Visual artist and gallerist Nina Sanazde detailed how expressing views critical of Hamas after the October 2023 attack led to her being “doxed and cancelled.” She described losing professional opportunities, including a prestigious residency and gallery representation, with hate graffiti appearing on her property. In response to what she termed an “authoritarian” culture in the arts, Sanazde opened a gallery in Melbourne to amplify marginalized voices but announced plans to close it later this year, citing safety concerns.

Professor David Slucki, director of Monash University’s Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, testified that Jewish creatives experience pressure to adopt extreme positions on the Israel-Gaza conflict, often extending beyond criticism of Israel to calls for its elimination. He noted that Jewish donors to the arts had also been targeted, suffering reputational harm due to accusations rooted in antisemitic stereotypes regarding philanthropic influence.

Despite these challenges, the commission heard examples of solidarity, including from a Muslim comedian who encouraged CGM to resume performing, offering him opportunities during a period of withdrawal. The inquiry highlighted ongoing tensions within the Australian arts sector surrounding freedom of expression, community relations, and the boundaries of acceptable political discourse.