Race Discrimination Commissioner, Mr Giridharan Sivaraman

Giridharan Sivaraman commenced as Race Discrimination Commissioner on 4 March 2024.

Prior to becoming Commissioner, Mr Sivaraman was Principal Lawyer with Maurice Blackburn, where he led the firm’s Queensland Employment Law department, ran numerous state and national race discrimination cases and led the pro bono compensation scheme for underpaid 7-Eleven workers. He also held the position of Chair of Multicultural Australia from 2021-2024 and was a member of the Queensland Multicultural Advisory Council from 2019-2024, where he was an advocate for the rights of victims of racial vilification.

He also appeared at a state parliamentary inquiry to demand legal reform to better protect the rights of victims of racial vilification. In his advocacy, he has committed to the protection and promotion of the rights of First Nations peoples.