Anti-Racism

Australia is home to diverse communities with rich cultural, linguistic, and spiritual traditions, but systemic racism and discrimination continues to marginalise First Nations people and culturally and racially diverse communities. 

Both Labor and Liberal governments have not only failed to address these issues—they have often exacerbated them through divisive rhetoric and policies that neglect the lived realities of racism in Australia.

In recent months, we’ve seen increasing Islamophobic and Antisemitic threats and attacks. These are not isolated incidents—they are part of a deeply worrying trend that demands urgent action.

The Greens are the only party with a stand-alone anti-racism portfolio, and the only party with a plan to build an anti-racist and genuinely multicultural country. Racism and hate must be tackled at its root causes and grounded in justice and truth telling for First Nations Australians. 

Racism causes immense direct harm to communities and the visceral forces of racism and sexism join to multiply these harmful impacts on women of colour and Blak women. 

Everyone has the right to live without fear of racial violence, abuse and discrimination.

Our comprehensive approach ensures action across workplaces, education, governance, and public life, advancing the rights of all people to live with dignity and respect.

Through initiatives grounded in truth-telling, equity, and justice, we are committed to building a future where everyone is valued, free from discrimination, and supported to participate fully in our national story. 

 

Explore our Plan

Workplace Racial Equality Agency

Every workplace should be a safe and respectful environment, free from racism and discrimination. 

For many First Nations people and culturally and racially marginalised communities, racism in the workplace remains a persistent and unaddressed issue.

The Greens will establish the Workplace Racial Equality Agency (WREA) to better document and understand the full extent of workplace racism and to ensure that work environments become thriving places of respect and safety for everyone, free from racism.

The Greens' plan:

  • Establish a Workplace Racial Equality Agency (WREA), an Australian Government statutory agency responsible for promoting and improving racial equity in Australian workplaces. WREA functions would include: 
    • Developing, collecting, and publishing information on racial equity indicators (e.g. composition of the workforce, composition of governing bodies, incidences of racism etc.).
    • Assisting employers to take action to promote and improve racial equity and representation, including in recruitment and hiring procedures, retention, career progression and pay discrepancy. 
    • Fostering workplace consultation between employers and employees on issues concerning racism in employment and in the workplace.
    • Monitoring compliance with laws and rules.
    • Developing industry-specific anti-racism training.

 

Anti-Racist and Genuinely Multicultural Australia

Australia should be a nation where everyone feels valued, respected, and free from discrimination. 

The Greens commit to meaningful action to tackle racism in all its forms. We need a national response to build a more inclusive and genuinely multicultural society.

The Greens' plan:

  • Strengthen anti-racism efforts with $60 million in funding to the Australian Human Rights Commission to implement the National Anti-Racism Framework, support community education, and launch a national anti-racism campaign.
  • Mandate anti-racism training for all Federal MPs and Commonwealth employees to foster understanding and accountability at the highest levels of government, to be funded through the Home Affairs budget.
  • Make hate speech illegal, hand in hand with a federal Human Rights Act 
  • Establish a national racial discrimination and hate crimes database with $5 million in funding to document and address the prevalence of racism across Australia.
  • Provide $10m per year to empower and resource Australian authorities to ensure social media companies are held accountable for online hate and racism.