Landmark plan to address 'systemic, structural' racism

Australian leaders are being urged to commit to a landmark plan on eliminating racism through sweeping legal changes. An anti-racism report from the Australian Human Rights Commission, billed as the most comprehensive such plan in the nation's history, was delivered to the federal government on Tuesday. It calls for a number of major legal and policy changes such as the introduction of a national framework with 10-year commitments that includes acknowledgement of the "systemic and structural nature of racism" and "historical and ongoing impacts of settler colonisation on First Nations peoples". "This is a historic moment in the fight against racism," Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman said. "For the first time, we have a comprehensive plan for eliminating racism in Australia." The framework should cover all levels of government and community services, while a federally led and nationally funded task force would be in charge of overseeing and advising on the plan. The commission also calls for the introduction of a national human rights act and for a positive duty clause to be added to the Racial Discrimination Act, forcing businesses and employers to implement anti-discrimination policies. "Racism diminishes a person's sense of self and corrodes one's soul, in doing so, it corrodes the soul of our nation," Mr Sivaraman said. "We all want to live in a world where everyone can thrive in ways that are important to them, regardless of their identity." The framework would also include an agreed national definition of racism for Indigenous people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss said Australia must meet the "pernicious force" of racism head-on. "We cannot pretend that racism is confined to the behaviour of a few individuals," she said. "It is pervasive and can only be addressed through a comprehensive response." One of the report's overarching recommendations is for the federal government to lead a national response to racism, beginning with truth-telling and self-determination for Indigenous people. This would include anti-racism lessons in schools and enshrining the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into Australian law. "The (framework) is an important and unprecedented milestone in our country's history," Ms Kiss said. "That we are at the point where we can name racism for what it is, locate it within the structures that surround us and develop a plan to transform those structures is worth celebrating, committing to, and fully realising." In the health sector, the commissioner recommended mandatory cultural safety training for all workers, while media companies should be under stricter regulations on how they report on diverse communities. Refugee Council of Australia deputy chief executive Adama Kamara said he welcomed the framework. "Many refugees and people seeking asylum come to Australia seeking safety and protection hoping for a better life but their experience of racism - whether it's on the street or within our civic institutions - can shatter their dreams for a peaceful future," he said. A spokesman for Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus commended the commissioner and said the government would work through the recommendations. "No Australian should be targeted because of who they are or what they believe," he said. "Australians should be able to live their lives without fear of being attacked or treated differently because of their race."