ANTaR Racism
Race hate protections must remain
ANTaR National Director Andrew Meehan said that the Inquiry was unnecessary given that the RDA underwent a similar inquiry in 2014, but welcomed the fact that the Committee had not recommended changing race hate protections.
Read more in ANTaR's media release
Read(pdf 159.29 KB)Reconciliation Barometer shows need to keep protections against racism
National advocacy organisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights ANTaR, today called on government to start looking at First Peoples’ lived experience of racism, and leave the RDA protections untouched.The call came as the National Reconciliation Barometer was released, showing an increase of racism experienced by First Peoples.Read more in our media releaseRead(pdf 170.03 KB)Nation must find a more inclusive date for our national day
Tomorrow on 26 January, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and many other Australians will be honouring the resilience of First People in surviving the legacy of invasion, instead of celebrating Australia’s national holiday.
Read more in our Media Release.
Read(pdf 721.18 KB)Submission to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights Inquiry into Free Speech in Australia
ANTaR is deeply concerned that the Government is seeking to weaken protections against racial discrimination at a time when it may be increasing, and threatening what Australia prides itself on – a vibrant and open multicultural society.Read(pdf 192.68 KB)ALHR Fact Sheet on the Racial Discrimination Act
The Australian Lawyers for Human Rights have created a detailed fact sheet on the Racial Discrimination Act and have permitted ANTaR to share it on its website.
Read(pdf 116.08 KB)Publication of racist cartoon in The Australian a hurtful act
National advocacy organisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights, ANTaR, today expressed outrage at the publication of a racist cartoon in the Australian newspaper.
Bill Leak's cartoon relates to the Royal Commission into the shocking treatment of children in the Northern Territory juvenile justice system, and depicts an Aboriginal father drinking alcohol who doesn’t know the name of his son who is being held by a police officer.
ANTaR National Director Andrew Meehan said that the cartoon demeans Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and will cause enormous hurt after what has been a traumatic time for many First Peoples following the frightening footage of mistreatment of young Aboriginal people shown on Four Corners last week.
Read(pdf 40.46 KB)Statement on video depicting excessive force by police towards Aboriginal woman
ANTaR is a signatory to an open letter calling for an independent investigation into distressing reports excessive force was used by a QLD police office against on Aboriginal mother in January 2016. Read the statement for more information.
Read(pdf 228.85 KB)“Australia must and can be better than this”
Joint Statement on racism directed at Adam Goodes
“Australia must and can be better than this”
Following the weekend’s events when prominent Aboriginal AFL player and former Australian of the Year, Adam Goodes was booed at every turn during the Swans v West Coast Eagles AFL match.
Today in advance of the weekend round of AFL, 150 organisations (listed overleaf) join together to call for renewed efforts to stamp out racism in sport and everyday life.
For too long, we have witnessed the poor treatment of Sydney Swans star and dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes at the hands of fans during AFL matches. A proud Ambassador of the “Racism. It Stops with Me” Campaign, Goodes is a strong advocate for standing up against racism and for issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Learn more in ANTaR's media release.
Read(pdf 76.42 KB)Dumping of changes to the Racial Discrimination Act a credit to people power
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights agency ANTaR today expressed relief that government has now abandoned proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.
Read(pdf 93.1 KB)No compelling reason to amend the Racial Discrimination Act
ANTaR has recommended that the Australian Government does not proceed with introducing the proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.
In a submission to the Attorney General on the proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act, ANTaR concludes that on balance there is no compelling reason to amend the Act.
Read(pdf 91.06 KB)ANTaR Submission to the Attorney General on the Freedom of Speech Exposure Draft
In this submission, ANTaR comments on the proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act, in particular the repeal of section 18C, along with 18B, 18D and 18E. We raise serious concerns that the suggested changes will permit offensive, insulting and humiliating behaviour based on race and have the potential to lead to a less tolerant and less cohesive society.
Read(pdf 177.14 KB)Changes to the Racial Discrimination Act could lead to disharmony
ANTaR today expressed serious concern about the governments proposed changes to the RDA, saying they could lead to a less tolerant and harmonious country.Read(pdf 92.54 KB)Submission in Response to the Anti-Racism Strategy Discussion Paper
ANTaR welcomes the Government and the Australian Human Rights Commission’s commitment to the development and implementation of such a national anti-racism strategy. In this brief submission, we focus on a number of successful initiatives that have been used to prevent or reduce racism at the individual, community and institutional/ systemic level. We believe that any strategy to prevent and reduce racism must challenge popular myths by identifying and addressing the various forms and manifestations of racism that exist at all levels of society. Such a campaign must move the discussion of racism beyond ‘accusations or denials of individual racism’/
Read(pdf 971.5 KB)ANTaR welcomes Bolt decision
ANTaR has today welcomed today’s finding by the Federal Court that journalist and commentator Andrew Bolt breached the Racial Discrimination Act in articles published in 2009.
Read(pdf 40.5 KB)