The Sydney Jewish Museum has developed a new resource focused on antisemitism and its history, created by their team. The resource is an important project aimed at addressing a pressing issue – the rise of hatred against Jewish people in Australia and across the globe.

For this reason, the Sydney Jewish Museum has created an online platform that contains a thorough, research-based exploration of the history of antisemitism, how it manifests in contemporary society, and practical strategies to combat it.

The resource aims to equip and empower you to notice, question, and stand up to hate when you see or hear it.

You can access the resource and learn more about key terms and concepts related to antisemitism via the Sydney Jewish Museum's website. 

Background

Phase I

In March 2021, the Commission called for a National Anti-Racism Framework and released a Concept Paper outlining guiding principles, outcomes, and strategies.

The Commission then undertook consultations with peak and community organisations, service providers, government departments and agencies, experts, and community members. 100 consultations were undertaken with approximately 300 organisations. The Commission partnered with community peaks and organisations as well as government departments to conduct 10 community consultations across the nation. The Commission also called for public submissions between October 2021 and February 2022 and received 164 submissions. The Commission released its National Anti-Racism Framework Scoping Report in December 2022. 

Phase II 

Since then, in addition to the below community consultations, the Commission has undertaken and commissioned additional research to progress the findings from the initial scoping phase including in the areas of data collection, anti-Asian racism and health. 

This year extensive community consultations about a National Anti-Racism Framework were undertaken. This included consultations with over 496 First Nations people across Australia, from diverse populations including those with metropolitan, rural and remote backgrounds, varying ages, genders and socio-economic backgrounds, and sectoral representation. These involved one-on-one interviews and focus groups, both in place and virtual, an online survey and group submissions, ensuring a wide range of voices were heard. 

Consultations with negatively racialised communities were also conducted, led by 18 organisations and comprised of 44 community consultations with over 860 participants. The consultations were conducted across all states and territories including remote, regional, and metropolitan areas, with a majority conducted face to face and others online. They included intersectional focus areas of LGBTQIA+ people; women; people with disabilities; refugees and asylum seekers; older people; young people (18-25 years); people and communities of faith; new and emerging communities; and communities with prominent caste systems.  

Shift from Interpersonal Racism to Systemic Racism 

The findings from this initial scoping process were shared in the National Anti-Racism Framework Scoping Report in December 2022. The Scoping Report indicated strong support from participants across the board for a Framework as an overarching and coherent approach to anti-racism. Across the board, participants affirmed that First Nations self-determination, sovereignty and truth-telling should be central to the Framework. The following themes and sectors were also identified as areas of focus:

• Data collection
• Education and Public Awareness
• Cultural Safety
• Legal protections and Justice
• Health
• Media

• Read and download the National Anti-Racism Framework
• Read and download a summary of the National Anti-Racism Framework
• Read the media release 

Related reading

The following reports have contributed to the National Anti-Racism Framework:

• Mapping government programs and policies relevant to anti-racism
• Race Reporting Handbook
• An Anti-Racism Framework: The Perspectives of Multicultural Australia
• Anti-Asian Racism Research Project
• An Anti-Racism Framework: Voices of First Nations Peoples

Acknowledgments 

The Commission recognises the ongoing strength and leadership of Australia’s First Peoples in leading anti-racism efforts since colonisation.

The Commission acknowledges the vast emotional and intellectual labour of the community, particularly those with lived experiences of racism, who shared their vision for a National Anti-Racism Framework that takes a transformative approach to addressing racism in Australia.

Image design copyright Bree Buttenshaw for Saltwater People (2024).

Report methodology 

Between November 2023 and May 2024, FECCA engaged 18 organisations across Australia, using an intersectional lens and intentionally prioritising groups that are most likely to experience racism together with other forms of discrimination.  

In total, 44 consultation sessions took place across all states and territories, covering more than 860 participants. An online survey was also conducted, with 411 valid responses. 

Key findings 

Among the key findings was that, despite the diversity of people’s backgrounds – including location, age, disability, sexuality, faith and cultural background – racism was widespread throughout the country and entrenched in society.  

Racism, the report found, is often being experienced at the same time as another form of discrimination such as disability or sex discrimination, and is taking place in people’s schools, workplaces, public spaces, and during interactions with health services or law enforcement.   

Governments and the media were also found to be culpable in further marginalising people through a culture of silence, which either ignores or minimises incidents of racism or stokes divisions through sensationalist rhetoric.  

The experiences shared by participants have reinforced findings from previous studies and brought to the forefront the solutions that those with lived experience of racism propose to build a society where racism is actively combated. 

Recommendations 

In total, 11 recommendations (7 main, 4 supplementary) were made to help build a society where racism is actively combated. These include: 

• The Australian Government must lead the way to change and commit to a whole-of-society, anti-racism agenda, such as through a national anti-racism framework.  
• Combating First Nations racism must be at the forefront of reform.  
• Schools must educate on racism, including First Nations experiences of settler colonisation, and take a strengths-based approach to racial diversity including via curriculum. 
• Public and private institutions, including in education, employment, healthcare, and justice, must have policies in place to address racism in all its forms. This includes incorporating preventative and redress mechanisms, reviewing all current policies and procedures for accessing opportunities and services, and introducing mandatory anti-racism training.  
• Media should employ more professionals from culturally diverse backgrounds that lead news and help to shape anti-racist narratives in Australia. 

Downloads

• Full report: 'An Anti-Racism Framework: Experiences and Perspectives of Multicultural Australia' [PDF 452 KB]

Image design copyright Bree Buttenshaw for Saltwater People (2024).

Journalists play a critical role in the way people are racialised. That’s why the Australian Human Rights Commission, in partnership with Media Diversity Australia, has produced the Race Reporting Handbook to help overcome misrepresentation and stereotyping.

From reporting on First Nations people reinforcing stereotypes to the cultural burden placed on people with lived experience of racism in newsrooms, the handbook reveals the inequity in our current media landscape and includes tips for newsrooms to overcome it.

Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman said: “The media has the power to decide who tells stories, whose stories are told, and how they are told. If you are white, you are often centred in nearly every aspect of the media and rarely, if ever, need to be concerned about the way in which the media represents your race.”

"Responsible reporting which is built on racial literacy is essential for creating any anti-racist society. It’s time to shift narratives from sensationalist headlines and move to editorial decision-making that are reflective of stories that showcase strengths rather than diminish negatively racialised communities.

“The handbook contains principles and checklists for anti-racist journalistic and editorial practices, including recruitment for greater diversity in media workplaces. Inclusive storytelling will better amplify underrepresented voices for more robust reporting,” Commissioner Sivaraman said. 

Media Diversity CEO Mariam Veiszadeh highlighted the need for the handbook at a critical juncture in the Australian media landscape.

“If a person were of an Anglo background, would you, for example, reference their race? This is a crucial question to consider.

“Enhancing the racial literacy of a sector that informs and shapes the health of our democracy can result in more nuanced and inclusive reporting, greater audience reach, and a stronger, more resilient democracy.

The Race Reporting Handbook addresses how to combat structural and systemic racism in Australia's media landscape. It emphasises an anti-racist approach to reporting to assist media professionals in building stronger community connections and adopting more inclusive editorial policies.

The Anti-Palestinian Racism in Schools Register was set up by the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN). The Tool is designed to collect data regarding incidents of anti-Palestinian racism, following increasing incidents of teachers, school support staff, and parents and guardians experiencing anti-Palestinian racism in schools. 

While providing a much-needed avenue for those experiencing anti-Palestinian racism in schools to share their experiences, the tool also serves to contribute to data collection efforts regarding the types and prevalence of racism in schools. 

Find out more about the Register on the APAN website. 

Visit the Anti-Racism Palestinian Racism in Schools Register directly. 

This report provides an analysis of Islamophobia in Australia, with research data based on reported incidents. This report includes data from the inception of the Islamophobia Register in September 2014, until December 2021. 

You can download the executive summary and the full report below or on the Islamophobia register website (opens in new window). 

Visit the Call It Out website (opens in new window) 

Islamophobia Register website (opens in new window) 

The Islamophobia Register Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that provides a platform for incidents of Islamophobia to be reported, recorded and analysed into a published report. The Register offers a secure and reliable service that allows people from across Australia to report any form of Anti-Muslim vilification or abuse.

You can report incidents of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiments if:

• you are the victim who had the Islamophobic behaviour directed at you (whether it is because of your Islamic faith or perceived Islamic faith) OR;
• you have personal knowledge (directly witnessed an incident or heard about an incident) of Islamophobic behaviour that fits within the categories listed above.

When is Hate a Crime? website 

The Australian Hate Crime Network, in partnership with The University of Sydney, has designed resources to meet the various needs of individuals and community groups.

The website features a community toolkit designed to support capacity building, training and awareness workshops, and education and information sessions for community organisations.

The website provides translated resources, including a range of multilingual posters, flyers and social tiles to promote the site and additional external resources that support targets of hate crimes.

All Together Now CAPE resource 

All Together Now has been working to undermine far- right extremism in Australia. The Community Action for Preventing Extremism (CAPE) Project provides information and training on the dangers of far-right extremism in Australia.

CAPE offers two countering far-right extremism workshops, “Identifying Far-right Extremism” and “Responding to Far-right Extremism”. These workshops are designed to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the spectrum of far-right extremist groups in Australia, typical recruitment methods, and who is most at risk.

The workshops are beneficial for anyone who is interested to learn more about how far-right extremism might impact on young people in Australia today.