Civil society calls for urgent action on the National Anti-Racism Framework

Released in November 2024 following extensive community consultation, the Framework outlines 63 recommendations for a whole-of-society approach to tackling racism across Australia’s legal, justice, health, education, media and arts systems.

Despite the significance of this milestone, the federal government has since taken no steps to resource or implement the Framework.

In a statement coordinated by the Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS), Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA), the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA), FECCA (Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia), the Community Council for Australia (CCA) and SSI, the organisations call on the government to immediately commit to the Framework’s first two recommendations:

• Fully commit to the National Anti-Racism Framework.
• Establish a National Anti-Racism Taskforce to oversee its implementation, including dedicated plans to address racism against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other affected communities.

Former AFLW player and advocate, Akec Makur Chuot
“Racism has no place in a country that prides itself on fairness and opportunity. As someone who came to Australia seeking safety, I know what dignity and respect can mean for a persons future. The Australia of we are one, and from all the lands on earth we come to share a dream. That’s the Australia I hope we can get back too because this divided Australia I don’t recognise. Every community deserves to feel safe, valued and included – whether on the field, at work or in every day life.”

SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis:
“Australia’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths, but racism threatens the cohesion that underpins it. We cannot afford to wait — national leadership, real investment and long-term commitment are needed to build a future where every person is treated with dignity and respect. The National Anti-Racism Framework reflects what communities have been calling for: coordinated, practical action. We urge the Australian Government to fully fund and implement the Framework without delay.”

ACOSS CEO Dr Cass Goldie
“Racism causes deep harm to people, families, and communities. The National Anti-Racism Framework provides a clear pathway to ensuring every person in Australia is safe, respected and treated with dignity. ACOSS urges the government to listen to communities, tackle discrimination wherever it occurs, and adopt the Framework’s recommendations without delay.”

Community Council for Australia CEO David Crosbie
“The just, fair, safe, inclusive, equal opportunity and united Australia we want will never by realised by accident, or inertia. The data tells us almost everywhere we care to look that racism is systemic and structural. We see it in the overrepresentation of First Nations children in our justice system, the bias conscious and unconscious in employment, the fracturing and disadvantage in community. Creating the Australia we want starts with implementing policy that will drive change, investing in community and acting proactively and with determination to create the kind of society we want to live in. A framework for change does nothing sitting on a shelf – time to implement.”

RCOA Deputy CEO Adama Kamara
“Racism harms not just the individuals who experience it, but all of us. It undermines the ability of people from refugee backgrounds to settle, rebuild, and to successfully contribute to society. Racism sows mistrust throughout the community, and is damaging to the wider society. The National Anti-Racism Framework sets out the structural reforms that refugee communities have long called for.”

SCOA Chair Melissa Monteiro
“Racism continues to undermine the safety, wellbeing, and full participation of many communities across Australia. Newly arrived migrants and refugees, in particular, face barriers that limit their ability to settle, to belong, and to contribute their full potential. The National Anti-Racism Framework is a vital roadmap that reflects years of consultation and the lived experience of the communities we serve. It is now time for decisive action. We urge the Australian Government to fully commit to the Framework and establish the National Anti-Racism Taskforce so that meaningful, coordinated reform can begin.

FECCA Chairperson Peter Doukas
“Racism is happening in classrooms, workplaces, hospitals, public spaces and online and it often compounds harms from discrimination linked to disability, gender, age, and socio-economic disadvantage. The Government needs to commit to funding and implementing the National Anti-Racism Framework’s recommendations. It is critical in improving health outcomes, strengthening community safety, boosting economic productivity, and building stronger civic participation.”

Media contacts:

CCA
David Crosbie, CEO -davidc@communitycouncil.com.au
Deborah Smith, Partnerships Manager
0418 244 883 | deborahs@communitycouncil.com.au

ACOSS
Charlie Moore | 0419 626 155

RCOA
Media and Communications Officer, Sophia Duckor-Jones
0433447223 | sophia.duckorjones@refugeecouncil.org.au

SSI and SCOA
Head of Executive Communications and Media, Hannah Gartrell
0423 965 956 | hgartrell@ssi.org.au

FECCA

Mia Ferreira mia@fecca.org.au