Senate grills Creative Australia over funding for anti-Israel website
Creative Australia has been forced to defend its decision to allow an antizionist website to raise tax-deductible donations.
Pearls and Irritations raised $669,240 through the Australian Cultural Fund. The scheme is intended to support artists and cultural projects.
John Menadue (photo: Facebook)
The Australian reported that Pearls and Irritations, founded by former senior public servant and diplomat John Menadue, raised the money through three campaigns in 2025 under the Australian Cultural Fund, which is administered by Creative Australia.
The ACF allows approved artists and arts organisations to receive tax-deductible donations. Creative Australia says the fund is an online fundraising platform for the Australian arts and cultural sector and that donations over $2 are tax deductible.
At Senate estimates, Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson questioned Creative Australia officials about why Pearls and Irritations qualified for the scheme, given its main output is political and foreign affairs commentary.
Nicola Grayson, Creative Australia’s head of public affairs, told the committee: “It does contain arts and cultural content. That’s well-known.”
Asked to identify examples, Acting Chief Executive Tim Blackwell said: “I’ll have to look at that and come back to you.”
Grayson pointed to book reviews as an example of cultural activity. The Australian reported that of 18 book reviews published by Pearls and Irritations in 2026, five were reprints and only five dealt with literary or artistic subjects.
Pearls and Irritations describes itself as a daily journal for policy discussion. Its own fundraising material said ACF donations would support content on Palestine, China, climate change and immigration policy, as well as the development of a Young Writer’s Handbook to encourage young writers.
Creative Australia’s freedom of information disclosure log shows two releases relating to the website and the ACF. One covered application forms and associated documents, while another covered correspondence and internal documents.
Sarah Henderson
The Australian reported that Creative Australia officials had earlier raised concerns that donations could be used for non-arts activity. Menadue reportedly responded that the funds would support weekly book reviews, scholarships for young writers and the Young Writer’s Handbook.
The newspaper said there was no visible evidence on the website that those promised outcomes had been delivered.
Pearls and Irritations has long drawn criticism over its coverage of Israel and Zionism. The Australian quoted Monash University academic Philip Mendes accusing the website of advancing antisemitism through “blaming the victim”, including by publishing material alleging disproportionate Jewish influence in politics, finance and media, and by minimising Jewish Australians’ experiences of racism.
The Pearls and Irritations website
AIJAC has also criticised the website, saying Pearls and Irritations frequently publishes pro-BDS and strongly anti-Israel material.
Creative Australia has not said Pearls and Irritations breached ACF rules. A spokesperson told The Australian it would respond to matters raised by the Senate committee through the appropriate parliamentary process.
Pearls and Irritations chief executive Catriona Jackson declined to comment to The Australian, while a spokesperson for Arts Minister Tony Burke referred questions to Creative Australia.
