Racism at Universities Deemed Systemic by Race Discrimination Commissioner
The race discrimination commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, described the findings of a recent study as deeply troubling, emphasizing that universities are failing in their duty of care towards students and staff.
"Racism at university is not confined to isolated incidents or individual behaviour – it is systemic. Racism is pervasive across the sector, affecting many groups in serious ways … The attack on Camp Sovereignty, the antisemitic terror attack in Bondi and the recent alleged attempted bombing targeting First Peoples on 26 January in Perth – these are the horrifying outcomes when racism in our society isn’t addressed."
The report issued 47 recommendations aimed at both the federal government and universities. These include establishing a national framework for anti-racism in tertiary education, enhancing accountability measures, and promoting more diverse leadership and workforce representation.
Only 11 universities were identified as having advanced, standalone anti-racism strategies.
Sivaraman highlighted the report’s demonstration of the "critical importance" of the federal government endorsing and funding key recommendations from the Australian Human Rights Commission, which were delivered in November 2024.
"We cannot wait any longer as racism continues to impact the lives of many in visceral ways."
Racism Confirmed as Systemic in Australian Universities, National Study Reveals
The Australian Human Rights Commission’s national study, commissioned in 2024, investigated the prevalence and impact of racism at universities for the first time. The federal government received the report in December 2024, but it was not publicly released until Tuesday.
Surveying 76,000 students and staff, the study found that 70% had experienced indirect racism, such as witnessing or hearing racist behaviour directed at their community. Additionally, 15% reported experiencing direct racism at university.
The highest rates of reported racism were among religious Jewish and Palestinian respondents, exceeding 90%, followed by First Nations, Chinese, Jewish (secular), Middle Eastern, and Northeast Asian respondents, all over 80%.
Despite these high rates, only 6% of those who experienced direct racism filed complaints with their universities. Many cited fear of repercussions and a lack of trust in university complaint systems as reasons for not reporting incidents.
Additional News Updates
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer bringing you the latest breaking news before Nick Visser takes over.
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Today’s report confirms that racism is systemic within Australian universities, with more detailed coverage forthcoming.
