So, firstly, why and how should we acknowledge the current forms of racism that exist in Australia today?
Let me begin by talking about international students, and recent episodes of racially motivated violence. This is the topic of the Australia and New Zealand Race Relations Roundtable meeting, which will take place next week. Safety and equity for students will be discussed. This issue is significant, it has national implications, and it has raised the question-Is Australia racist? In my view, the answer is no. But it’s a false question. It stifles any real reflection, or discussion, about our national commitment to racial equality. We know, based on both our complaints under the Race Discrimination Act, and on current research1, that Australia, like most countries across the world, has pockets of persistent racism which have long term, serious impacts and human consequences. Many have not acknowledged a race element in the series of attacks. They have instead referred to them as “opportunistic”. But the denial of the race aspect of this violence simply invites future violence. We have
