Racial hatred: no one is safe until we are all safe

There has been much soul-searching, grief and anger since the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi on 14 December. The massacre targeting the Jewish community was devastating and the hurt is profound. In response, the Prime Minister has announced a Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. I hope it provides some answers for the people and community directly impacted and for the nation at large about preventing harm and future atrocities.

Addressing racist violence in Australia must be underpinned by national truth-telling. The first truth to acknowledge is that the Bondi attack is not an isolated act of racist violence. The thread of racism runs from the atrocity on 14 December back to the unhealed wounds of Australia's First Peoples caused by colonisation. Racism has shaped laws, policies and social attitudes. It has been woven into Australia's social fabric. Without confronting this truth, racism will continue to harm all Australians, especially First Peoples, migrants, and cultural and religious communities. Yet the terms of reference for the Royal Commission does not mention the 'r' word once.

From the moment of first contact, racism was used to justify invasion, dispossession and violence against First Peoples. Massacres - some state-sanctioned - occurred across this country for generations, unchecked and unacknowledged.

This pattern of denial persists today. In 1989, the Australian Human Rights Commission launched a National Inquiry into Racist Violence, warning that racist violence - particularly against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - would intensify unless firmly addressed. The final report made 64 recommendations to reform law enforcement, legislation and investment in education. 35 years later, much remains unaddressed. Racial violence is still not a specific criminal offence. And despite having a Racial Discrimination Act for over 50 years, systemic racism remains embedded in law and policy.

When politicians say the Bondi attack was 'an assault on the Australian way of life', they ignore that First Peoples have endured the destruction of their way of life for over two centuries. Migrants too have faced racism, from Chinese and Indian labourers brought to mine gold to South Sea Islanders kidnapped as indentured workers. Fast forward to the current day, and migrants are blamed for the housing crisis, increasing cost of living and job insecurity. These histories remind us that racism is not new. It is systemic and it harms us all.

The consequences of ignoring racism are stark. Australia's First Peoples continue to experience discrimination, criminalisation and social exclusion. Policies of child removal have left intergenerational scars, documented forensically in the Bringing Them Home report almost 30 years ago. Today, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face the highest incarceration rates globally, rising deaths in custody, and epidemic levels of suicide.

The 2023 Voice Referendum fuelled a spike in racism, stoking confusion and hostility toward First Peoples' rights and identity. The Australian Government has since dropped the Uluru Statement's call for 'Voice, treaty and truth' like a hot potato. The policy malaise which followed the referendum has left First Peoples questioning whether the Government will ever have the courage to face the truth, listen, sit with the discomfort and commit to healing the wounds caused by colonisation, dispossession and racism.

Racism is on the rise with racial discrimination complaints to the Australian Human Rights Commission increasing 28% over the past year. Islamophobia has also reportedly surged in recent weeks. The Bondi attack shows how racial hatred can escalate into horrific violence. No one is safe until we are all safe from racial hatred.

Royal Commissions are valuable because they diagnose symptoms, but they do not treat the disease. We need decisive, sustained action by governments, employers and leaders across our education, health, justice and media sectors to eradicate racism in all its forms, against First Peoples, migrants, and religious and cultural communities exposed to its harm. This requires the courage and commitment to conduct the radical surgery required to remove the cancer of racism.

The time for silence is over. We need a national commitment to truth-telling about our colonial past and its ongoing impact. This is not about guilt; it is about healing. Truth-telling must be accompanied by systemic reform to dismantle racist laws and practices.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has provided a comprehensive roadmap for change: the National Anti-Racism Framework. It sets out practical steps for governments, businesses and communities to prevent racism, respond to incidents, and build a culture of equality and respect. The Government asked for this Framework and it's time to adopt and embed it across all sectors.

The Australian Jewish community waited four weeks for a Royal Commission on antisemitism - an ancient and abhorrent hatred. First Peoples have waited more than two centuries for justice. Other communities continue to suffer in silence. As a country we can do better.

The Prime Minister's commitment to action on antisemitism is welcome. Now we must see the same urgency applied to acting on racism in all its manifestations. If we truly want an Australia that is fair, united and safe for all, it's time for collective courage to treat the disease of racism and not just the symptoms.