Can we end racism in Australia? Yes, according to the first-ever national plan
- Written by Fethi Mansouri, Deakin Distinguished Professor/UNESCO Chair-holder; Founding Director, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University
The Australian Human Rights Commission this week launched the National Anti-racism Framework.
It’s an important moment. For the first time, the country has a comprehensive approach to tackle, if not eliminate, racism in all sectors of society and across different levels of government.
The ten-year road map includes 63 recommendations acknowledging the ongoing impact of colonialism on First Nations people and the persistent racism that minority communities experience.
The goal of ending racism is highly ambitious, yet necessary. Here’s how the plan wants to do it.
What does the plan say?
This framework is a major policy document that will complement and strengthen the Racial Discrimination Act.
To date, Australia has not had a national approach to addressing racism. This is despite the numerous calls from many communities that have endured its damaging effects every day.
This framework promises to deal with this historical legacy of racism against Indigenous people, as well as its contemporary manifestations.
Anti-racism underpins the new approach. This means it aspires to more than simply “not being racist”. Rather, anti-racism involves identifying, challenging and dismantling racism at the individual, structural and institutional levels.
It outlines plans from a whole-of-society approach rooted in human rights. Indeed, one of its key recommendations is a national human rights act to lay the legislative foundations for such interventions.
Read more: An inquiry has recommended Australia legislate a Human Rights Act. Here's why we need one
The document identifies seven priority areas, including:
This acknowledges the widespread nature of racism.
The framework recommends legal reforms to include minimum requirements to counter racial discrimination. This includes embedding First Nations cultural safety across sectors.
It also includes recommendations for the education system to implement cultural safety and anti-racism reforms, and for workplaces to develop and implement various internal anti-racism strategies. One such suggestion is mandatory cultural safety and anti-racism training for all workers, including parliamentarians.
The plan involves strategies for recruiting and retaining staff from First Nations and other minority communities in leadership and senior roles.
It also calls for media organisations to adopt guidelines based on an anti-racist approach to reporting. To lead by example, parliamentarians and staff should adhere to a zero-tolerance approach to racism.
The framework recommends that the government establish a National Anti-racism Taskforce to develop separate implementation plans. One of these would focus on First Nations people; the other on the general population.
Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman says the national plan must be centred on First Nations people, because “there can be no racial justice in this country without racial justice for First Nations peoples”.
It therefore emphasises the importance of truth-telling and self-determination as crucial features of meaningful anti-racism action. This includes incorporating the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into Australian laws.
Why do we need a plan like this?
The anti-racism framework comes at a time of intensifying hate speech and exclusionary nationalism.
For the past few years, nations have faced increasing political division and social fissures.
Disinformation, misinformation and identity politics are all fanning the flames of racism across Australia, from schools to public events.
The Diversity Council Australia reports that 59% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have experienced racial discrimination in workplaces.
In addition, the 2024 Scanlon Foundation Mapping Social Cohesion survey reveals that 17% of Australian adults reported experiencing discrimination based on skin colour, ethnic origin or religion over the past year.
This figure is notably higher among overseas-born Australians from non-English-speaking backgrounds, with one in three (34%) reporting similar experiences.
What compounds these recent forms of social division and political polarisation is the amplification of racism in key institutions.
Since its founding, Australia has grappled with systemic racism in its institutions and structures.
Systemic racism leads to poor outcomes for those affected. The poor quality of life standards for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is an example of this. The over-representation of African-Australian youth in the justice system is another.
Yet acknowledging and confronting the painful colonial history and its enduring legacy continues to be a significant challenge.
The evidence from various studies, including our own research, shows systemic racism in Australia is mounting. The urgency of a coordinated approach across the whole of society has never been clearer.
Racism cannot be addressed by few individuals, one community, agency, or government body. An adequately funded, resourced and coordinated anti-racism approach is necessary.
In its calls for reform in key systems and structures, the framework acknowledges this.
What difference will it make?
If fully implemented, these recommendations have the potential to drive transformative change in Australia.
Policies and programs affecting First Nations communities would become better coordinated and integrated. With robust monitoring and evaluation, anti-racism initiatives would be more effective at tackling deeply entrenched racism.
Eliminating racism will require a whole of society approach.
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Achieving a racism-free society will require sustained political will, meaningful action and a commitment to dismantling the structures that perpetuate inequality.
This means the real challenge lies in securing bipartisan support and implementing the necessary strategies to turn this vision into a reality.
The Australian Greens have already indicated support for the plan. But the government and the opposition are yet to respond.
Will this end racism?
The road map is ambitious and much needed vision for improving race relations, especially at a time of growing division and intolerance in our society.
The ten-year timeframe for achieving its goals is undeniably challenging. Racism is a deeply entrenched problem and will also need longer-term strategies to resolve.
The success of the framework hinges on the commitment and support of all Australians, from policymakers and community leaders to media organisations and everyday citizens.
Ending racism require increased individual awareness, stronger collective action, persistence, and an unwavering dedication to dismantling racism at every turn.
Authors: Fethi Mansouri, Deakin Distinguished Professor/UNESCO Chair-holder; Founding Director, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University
