Anti-Discrimination NSW (ADNSW) is calling on people across the State to challenge racism in support of a new campaign from the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
Throwing its support behind the AHRC’s Racism. It Stops With Me campaign, ADNSW said the campaign called on Australians who did not have lived experience of racism to reflect on its causes and do more to challenge it.
“Racism is more than just harmful words or individual actions,” ADNSW said.
“It includes biases in our society, its laws, institutions and ways of thinking,” it said.
“No matter how challenging the conversation, we need to talk about racism and the causes of inequality.
“By taking a stand against racism, we can build a fair and equal society – for all.”
Race Discrimination Commissioner at AHRC, Chin Tan said the national campaign acknowledged that First Nations peoples and others with lived experience of racism had been leading anti-racism in Australia for centuries, and called on more Australians to reflect on to reflect on their responsibility and take action.
“Racism continues to undermine justice and fairness in Australia,” Commissioner Tan said.
“We see it in the lack of recognition of First Nations communities, in ongoing discrimination and power imbalances that create inequitable outcomes,” he said.
“We see it in continued antisemitism and Islamophobia, in the surge of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic, and in the rise of far-right extremism.”
Commissioner Tan said the campaign also responded to recent events and addressed major challenges to realising racial equity in Australia.
“The #BlackLivesMatter movement has demonstrated leadership from First Nations communities and others with lived experience of racism,” he said.
“Now is the time for all Australians to act in support.”
