As a country with a rich and diverse identity, inclusion and social cohesion should be the north star guiding government decision making. Today, our federal politicians have voted on hate speech and migration laws, despite calls for greater consultation — particularly from the communities most affected by hate and discrimination.

We are shocked and saddened by the violent attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney yesterday. Our hearts go out to the people killed and injured in this attack, their families and friends, and to Australia’s Jewish community as Chanukah begins — a time that should be marked by light, hope and togetherness.

One year after the Australian Human Rights Commission launched the country’s first national roadmap to eliminate racism, 60 civil society organisations are calling on the Australian government to urgently fund and implement the National Anti-Racism Framework.