Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has withdrawn $25,000 in funding for the Queensland Music Awards after a jazz composer used her acceptance speech to go on a tirade, accusing the Australian government of enabling Israel to commit war crimes.

Composer Kellee Green, who is also the arts director at Brigidine College, won an award at the Queensland Music Awards for her instrumental track “River to Sea” and used her speech to criticise Israel and the Australian government.

“Our own Government is complicit in war crimes by supporting Israel both in words and actions by allowing the export of weapons and weapon parts to Israel to directly kill innocent Palestinian men, women, and children,” Green claimed.

The decision by QMusic to award Green has been condemned by the Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies and other Jewish groups, who pointed out that the song’s title is antisemitic and linked to extremist rhetoric.

Schrinner called the award “deeply offensive” and accused QMusic of allowing the event to be “hijacked by extremists.”

“The promotion of antisemitism at Tuesday night’s Queensland Music Awards was utterly shameful and divisive,” Schrinner said. “The decision to hand a major prize to an offensively titled anti-Jewish song raises serious questions about whether the awards have been hijacked by extremists.”

Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg called for government funding of QMusic to be reviewed and for Green’s award to be revoked.

“The song has been accepted at the Queensland Music Awards … how does that happen, why is that okay?” Steinberg said.

Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek also condemned the speech and said he had sought an explanation from QMusic about the awards process.

“There are consequences for words and actions,” Langbroek said.

QMusic CEO Kris Stewart said he was “deeply saddened” by Brisbane City Council’s decision to pull funding but acknowledged the concerns.

“We acknowledge the sensitive nature of this moment and the impact it has had on some members of our community,” Stewart said.

Green has posted her speech to social media, where it has drawn widespread support from anti-Israel activists.

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