Former Labor senator Nova Peris has been accused of amplifying anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian content by sharing posts that claim Gaza is full of “savages” and “fucking monsters”. The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (Aman) identified dozens of dehumanising posts on her verified X account between April 2024 and March 2026, alleging they fall across all 12 categories of their dehumanising speech framework.
The Allegations Against Nova Peris
Peris, an Olympic gold medallist and patron of the Labor Friends of Israel group, did not author the posts but shared them on her account. Aman’s solicitor Rita Jabri Markwell stated that the posts talk about Muslims and Palestinians in a dehumanising way, saying they are “subhuman, animalistic, and lack human qualities.” The posts include descriptions of Palestinians as “savages”, “fucking monsters”, and claims that Gaza’s entire population consists of two million terrorists.
Examples of Dehumanising Posts
The following table summarises some of the posts identified by Aman that were shared by Peris:
| Date | Content | Category |
|---|---|---|
| April 2024 | “Gaza is full of savages” | Dehumanisation |
| June 2024 | “Fucking monsters” | Inciting hatred |
| Good Friday 2025 | “This does not belong in this country!” (footage of Muslims praying in a park) | Xenophobia |
| March 2026 | “Islam should be banned in the West” | Religious intolerance |
Key Takeaways from the Controversy
- Nova Peris, a former Labor senator and Olympian, is accused of sharing anti-Muslim content.
- The posts were assessed against Aman’s 12-category framework for identifying dehumanising speech.
- Peris is a patron of the Labor Friends of Israel group, alongside former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews.
- Some posts were still visible on Peris’s X account as of Saturday.
- The Labor party secretariat and Friends of Israel did not respond to requests for comment.
FAQ
Who is Nova Peris?
Nova Peris is an Australian former Labor senator, Olympic gold medallist in hockey and athletics, and a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia. She is a patron of the Labor Friends of Israel group.
What are the specific allegations against her?
The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (Aman) accused Peris of amplifying anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian content by reposting messages that describe Palestinians as “savages”, “fucking monsters”, and claiming Gaza’s population are all terrorists. The posts allegedly violate all 12 categories of Aman’s dehumanising speech framework.
What is Aman’s framework for dehumanising speech?
Aman developed a 12-category framework to identify dehumanising speech for use in legal proceedings. Categories include inciting hatred, xenophobia, religious intolerance, and attributing negative traits to entire groups. The organisation alleged that the posts shared by Peris fell across every category.