As part of the foundational research for the new Framework, the Commission sought to enhance their understanding of existing anti-racism work conducted or funded by the three tiers of government in Australia, identify opportunities for expansion of existing initiatives, and highlight the gaps in programs and policy that can be consolidated and addressed by a national Framework. [...] Limited to no connectivity challenged the scope and limits of the research The lack of joined-up approaches to anti-racism work across and within governments impeded the capacity of the research team to fully identify and document federal, state, and local government programs and policies within the project scope. [...] Opportunities The current review of the national Multicultural Framework, the work being undertaken by the Commission on the National Anti-Racism Framework and the inclusion of Priority Reform 3: Transforming Government organisations to decrease the proportion of First Nations people who have experiences of racism provide the most significant opportunities in recent years to address racism. [...] Community sector stakeholders called on the Commission to ‘be brave’ in developing the Framework and to use it as a mechanism to bring together groups who share experiences; to be strategic in messaging to go beyond CALD and First Nations peoples so the broader community can recognise the messages, and to be bold enough to state what the issues are facing Australian society. [...] And so, this is, you know, constant engagement and storytelling and sharing and building the capacity to know what to do and being able to connect with police and community lawyers and others like the preventive space, but also then the action of what to do the response as well.’71 Another stakeholder emphasised that greater government funding is needed beyond existing efforts which cover one off.
Authors
- Pages
- 79
- Published in
- Australia
Table of Contents
- Acronyms and definitions 4
- Contents 8
- 1. Executive summary 9
- 1.1 Project context 9
- 1.2 Research approach 9
- 1.3 Summary of our findings 10
- 1.4 Recommendations 12
- 2. Introduction 14
- 3. Research project methodology and approach 16
- 3.1 Our approach 16
- 3.2 Limitations 17
- 4. Detailed findings and insights 19
- 4.1 Federal government 19
- 4.1.1 Desktop review summary 20
- 4.1.2 Stakeholder interviews 21
- 4.2 State government 36
- 4.2.1 Desktop Review 36
- 4.2.2 Stakeholder Interviews 37
- 4.2.3 Identified opportunities in the Framework 40
- 4.2.4 Limitations 40
- 4.3 Local government 41
- 4.3.1 Challenges 42
- 4.3.2 Strengths 46
- 4.3.3 Opportunities 48
- 4.4 First Nations 51
- 4.4.1 Challenges 52
- 4.4.2 Strengths 53
- 4.4.3 Other insights 54
- 4.5 Government grant funding to community sector 54
- 4.5.1 Australian Sports Commission 55
- 4.5.2 Department of Home Affairs 58
- 4.5.3 Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet 61
- 4.5.4 National Indigenous Australians Agency 61
- 4.5.5 Department of Social Services 61
- 4.5.6 Department of Education 63
- 4.5.7 Attorney-Generals Department 64
- 4.5.8 Department of Infrastructure Transport Regional Development 65
- Communications and the Arts 65
- 4.6 Australian Research Council grants 65
- 5. Key findings 69
- Key Finding 1 Avoiding racism 69
- Key Finding 2 Failure to measure impact 69
- Key Finding 3 Blaming the victim 69
- Key Finding 4 Ad hoc disjointed disconnected and reactive 69
- Key Finding 5 Focus on internal staffing strategies 69
- Key Finding 6 Disconnect between expert research outcomes and government work 70
- Key Finding 7 Competing communities 70
- Key Finding 8 Limited focus on racism and First Nations communities 70
- Key Finding 9 Racism not a consideration for local government 70
- Key Finding 10 Good practice examples are available 70
- Key Finding 11 Failure of political bipartisanship 71
- Key Finding 12 Limitations due to lack of engagement with this research 71
- 6 Recommendations 72
- Recommendation 2 Development of a nationally recognised definition of racism 72
- Recommendation 3 Development of a clear whole of government strategic approach to addressing racism and racist behaviours in Australian society 73
- Recommendation 4 Inclusion of a formal monitoring and evaluation approach in the Framework for tracking and reporting on progress and implementation of government work addressing racism 73
- Recommendation 6 Establishment of a national database or clearinghouse of antiracism work policies and programs research and outcomes 74
- Appendix A Stakeholder Engagement Register 75
- The stakeholder engagement register has been redacted from the report as it contained personal identifying information of participants. 75
- Appendix B Discovery Interview Questions 76
- Appendix C In-Depth Interview Questions 77
- Mapping government anti-racism projects and policies 79
