Opinion leaders in Washington are advocating that the United States add Australia to its official religious freedom watch list, arguing that recent developments in the nation merit heightened scrutiny.

The call comes in the wake of a mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach that killed fifteen people, which commentators say underscores failures to protect Australia’s Jewish community and broader issues of tolerance.

One prominent opinion piece asserts that the Australian government’s approach to domestic extremism and perceived appeasement of radical views has fostered conditions incompatible with robust protection of religious liberty, and therefore the nation should be monitored under frameworks such as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) tracking mechanisms.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, established under the International Religious Freedom Act, already maintains a Special Watch List of countries with severe violations of religious freedom that do not rise to the highest threshold for “Countries of Particular Concern.” That list includes nations such as Egypt, Indonesia and others considered to have significant issues around the toleration of religious oppression.

Australia is not currently on that list, but advocates argue its recent social strains, including spikes in antisemitic incidents and debates over free speech laws following terrorist attacks, reflect a deterioration in conditions that warrants addition to the list.

Such an inclusion would signal U.S. concern and encourage international attention to ensure protections for all faith communities in Australia.

Supporters of the proposal tie the religious freedom debate closely to national policy responses to extremism and the broader social climate.

They point to contentious legislative efforts in Australia to expand hate speech laws, close illegal places of worship and confront hate-based groups as symptomatic of the challenging balance between security and liberty.

The advocates maintain that an international watch designation would help pressure governments and civil society to prioritize the safeguarding of religious liberties for minority communities.

Opposition to the watch list proposal argues that Australia’s democratic institutions and independent legal system remain committed to protecting freedom of religion and belief, and that isolated incidents of hate speech or violent attacks should not redefine the nation’s overall record.

Government officials highlight Australia’s constitutional provisions barring establishment of religion and its active engagement with religious leaders to uphold tolerance and mutual respect.

The debate reflects ongoing tensions in public discourse over how best to ensure both security and freedom in diverse, pluralist societies.