Race Discrimination
Thank you for the very kind welcome. May I extend particular thanks to the Nelson Mandela Day Commemorative Committee (NMDCC) for the invitation and for having me here this evening. Let me start by acknowledging the traditional custodians of this land where we gather tonight, the Wurundjeri people...
Race Discrimination
The Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan will today announce a series of national consultations with the Muslim community in Australia about their experiences of hate speech and violence and about their ideas for change. Commissioner Tan will make the announcement at a Harmony Day Event in...
Race Discrimination
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO and the Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan have welcomed today’s release of the Reconciliation Barometer. The survey conducted every two years since 2008, measures the progress of reconciliation between...
Race Discrimination
Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane has revisited his Leading for Change (2016) report and found a persistent lack of cultural diversity among leaders in business, politics, government and universities. On 11 April 2018, the Commissioner launches new research that establishes Anglo...
Race Discrimination
Speech given at University of South Australia Graduation Ceremony Check against delivery It is wonderful to be joining you this afternoon. To all those who will be graduating very shortly, my warmest congratulations to you. And my congratulations as well to the proud families of graduands. In...
Race Discrimination
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights - Inquiry into Freedom of Speech, Public hearing 17 February 2017
Race Discrimination
Federal racial hatred legislation and the complaints-handling processes of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) are currently the subjects of an inquiry by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. The Committee’s ‘Freedom of speech in Australia’ inquiry, due to report by 28...
Race Discrimination
Graduands, my warmest congratulations. It may be Friday the 13th, but this is clearly an auspicious day. I am honoured to be celebrating this occasion with you. It gives me special pleasure to be with you as an alumnus of the Department. There is a special bond among Sydney’s graduates of Government...
Race Discrimination
I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Darug people, the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to elders past and present. I also acknowledge the fine work of the University of Western Sydney, particularly Dr Sev Ozdowski, in putting together this conference. It’s most...
Race Discrimination
In October 1975, at a ceremony for the proclamation of the Racial Discrimination Act, then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam described the legislation as ‘a historic measure’, which aimed to ‘entrench new attitudes of tolerance and understanding in the hearts and minds of the people’.(1) The Act was...
Race Discrimination
Explore an opinion piece that celebrates 40 years of the Racial Discrimination Act by former Race Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Tim Soutphommasane.
Race Discrimination
Keynote speech to Asian Studies Association of Australia Annual Conference, “AsiaScapes: Contesting Borders”
Race Discrimination
Many say freedom of expression means nothing if it doesn’t entail a freedom to offend others. Enjoying such freedom means that you may also have to tolerate hurtful or distasteful speech. But what if the burden of tolerance is not borne equally? What if some forms of speech wound not merely...
Race Discrimination
Many people will be familiar with the recent “Aboriginal memes” page on a popular social media site, in which images of Aboriginal people were published with highly derogatory captions.
Race Discrimination
Racism is a curb on our potential, and on our full humanity. It holds us back; it slows us down, and stops us bringing our best to the table. Let’s not shirk from this one, then. Let’s use our talents not only to call racism when we see it, but to envisage a nation beyond it – one confident enough to own its challenges; one capable enough to meet them, one fortunate enough to share in the results.
