Racism. It Stops With Me acknowledges Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and pays respect to Elders, past, present and future. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website may contain images, voices, or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or text.

Respect First Nations sovereignty

As the First Peoples of this continent, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a unique experience of racism. Being anti-racist means understanding how racism works around you.

In Australia, we need to learn about the unique experience of racism experienced by First Nations peoples because of ongoing colonisation. We also need to recognise and respect the leadership and knowledge of First Nations people in the anti-racist space. Respecting First Nations sovereignty is an important part of this. 

In the lead up to the 2023 Voice Referendum, the Australian Human Rights Commission worked with IndigenousX to develop several resources. These resources included advice on engaging in conversations around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights. 

Some of this information is useful when centring First Nations sovereignty in our anti-racism skill set:

Cultural humility means being willing to evaluate yourself, learn, and reflect on your actions. It is about addressing power imbalances in social interactions, institutions, and society. This involves being transparent about past and present policies and practices that have been harmful to Indigenous people. This helps develop and maintain relationships with Indigenous peoples based on trust and respect. 

Cultural humility is not about becoming an 'expert' on Indigenous people and cultures. It is about having a respectful and realistic approach. This means seeking to understand, while not expecting Indigenous people to be teachers or fit in to preconceived notions of what they should think or do. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups have been leading anti-racism work in Australia since colonisation. Despite this, Indigenous peoples are often excluded from decision-making, including in anti-racism programs. 

In many cases, non-Indigenous people assume they know what is best for Indigenous people and treat them as a problem to be solved rather than equal participants. This is a result of racist systems and is dehumanising. This can be seen in media, politics, workplaces, and schools when discussions on Indigenous issues occur without Indigenous representation or input. 

Indigenous peoples have rights to representation and participation in matters that affect them. This involves being consulted and having their voices heard. First Nations groups and experts hold solutions and expertise in challenging systemic racism. To combat racism effectively, Indigenous voices must be heard. 

You can learn more about the rights of Indigenous peoples across the world in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The UNDRIP is a declaration containing an agreement among governments on how Indigenous peoples should be treated. You can read more about the UNDRIP in this guide. 

When engaging in discussions about racism in Australia, consider the extent to which Indigenous knowledge, voices. and perspectives are centred. It's important to seek a range of perspectives from First Nations peoples and to reflect and draw on these fairly and appropriately. This includes accurately portraying the intent of the original speaker or author. 
 

Organising a community or workplace anti-racism event? Ensure that First Nations people and perspectives are considered, consulted and included.

Indigenous people are not all the same, and it's wrong to assume that they all share identical views on social and political issues. Some people mistakenly believe that one individual can speak on behalf of all Indigenous people. This leads to confusion and frustration when they encounter different opinions among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Australia has over 250 unique Indigenous nations, and every individual has their own views and perspectives. To ignore this diversity is harmful and not helpful. It's unrealistic to expect a universal consensus among Indigenous people, just as it would be to expect this from any other group in Australia.

Listen to various Indigenous voices and find those that resonate most with you. It's ok to disagree, fact-check, and have firmly held beliefs. However, showing cultural humility means understanding that the desire for one true Indigenous voice is unreasonable and unrealistic. Indigenous people are entitled to their beliefs and views, which are shaped by their experiences. Just as every other Australian is.