Arabic version: تحقيق العنصرية يستمع إلى دعوات لإصلاحات هيكلية

According to ABC News, Aboriginal community-controlled organisations told the federal racism inquiry that racial bias by child protection workers and police is harming First Nations women and children. The final hearings were held in Naarm/Melbourne, ending a three-month inquiry that received nearly 1,000 submissions, many describing personal and traumatic experiences of racism.

Aunty Muriel Bamblett of the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency said racism and stereotyping in social media, television and sport were making children and young people fearful of identifying as Aboriginal. She said the 2023 Voice referendum had caused “untold harm” to First Nations communities and described attacks on local events, including a Stolen Generations Return to Country visit. She also said her organisation had been reluctant to publicly identify an Aboriginal victim of family violence because of concerns about online vilification.

Nerita Waight from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services said racial bias affected child protection decisions, including removals involving historic family violence notifications. She called for the Commonwealth to nationally enshrine the Aboriginal child placement principle, which seeks to keep children in care connected to Aboriginal communities, family and cultural identity. Catherine Liddle of SNAICC said poverty, overcrowding and limited healthcare access in remote areas could be interpreted as neglect, contributing to removals and separation from culture.

Darlene Thomas of Aboriginal family violence service Djirra told the hearing that First Nations women reported police sometimes refused to take statements or properly investigate family violence and breaches of intervention orders. Coalition of Peaks lead convenor Donnella Mills said the National Closing the Gap Agreement provided a framework for addressing racism through shared decision-making, community-controlled services, government transformation and accountability. She said it required long-term funding and action on systemic racism in public agencies. The inquiry’s final report is due in parliament by the end of the year.