Reconciliation Australia has provided a submission to the Inquiry into Racism, Hate and Violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
It calls for a national commitment to addressing racism against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through stronger legal and human rights protections, coordinated policy responses, institutional and systems transformation, and robust reporting, response and accountability mechanisms.
The submission reinforces that this work must be undertaken in meaningful partnership with First Nations communities, grounded in principles of self-determination.
It must also go hand in hand with sustained work to support constructive and positive race relations. A critical part of this work involves embedding truth-telling in our communities and institutions to foster respect and understanding, ensuring that the historical silencing of injustices and their ongoing impacts is actively responded to.
This is critical to creating the conditions for healing, justice and dignity for First Nations peoples and a stronger, more united Australia.
