The Albanese Labor Government will invest up to $2 million in Call It Out – a register to report incidents of racism and discrimination against First Nations people.
Led by the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), in partnership with the National Justice Project, the register is the only national, Indigenous-led collection of such data.
The funding will support the work of Call It Out including the establishment of an online data dashboard, to inform anti-racism action.
Call It Out provides a culturally safe and trauma informed place for First Nations people and all Australians to report incidents of racism.
This funding comes at an important time, coinciding with the parliamentary inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which received more than 700 submissions and held public hearings across the country.
The inquiry has heard there are significant gaps in racism reporting and response mechanisms, and existing systems are fragmented, inconsistent, slow and often culturally unsafe.
The final report from the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs is expected in December.
This investment in Call It Out aligns with Priority Reform Four of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, shared access to data and information at a regional level.
There is no place for hate, intimidation or racism of any form in Australia.
Earlier this year, the Albanese Government legislated to target acts of hatred designed to disrupt our social cohesion, better protecting Australians of all racial and ethnic backgrounds from hate.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy:
“The parliamentary inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at First Nations people has heard confronting stories about the hurt and harm experienced by too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“While we await the committee’s final report, we are not waiting to act.
“This investment will strengthen the important work of Call It Out and support efforts by the Jumbunna Institute and the National Justice Project to collate rigorous data.
“I encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to engage with Call It Out and report their experiences and call on all Australians to call out racism when they see it.”
Quotes attributable to Professor Lindon Coombes, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at UTS:
“Our aim in creating Call It Out is to generate evidence to inform anti-racism action and policy development, to support the response of First Nations communities, organisations and leaders, and educate the wider community.”