Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy says she will encourage people to put in submissions to the antisemitism royal commission about racism against Indigenous Australians. Source: The Australian.
Senator McCarthy said there may be an “avenue” under the royal commission terms of reference to investigate this kind of racism.
The royal commission set up in the wake of the antisemitic Bondi terrorist attack – officially called the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion – empowers the commissioner to look at “best practice approaches to deradicalisation and strengthening social cohesion”.
The National Indigenous Australians Agency said it had been invited by the Attorney-General’s Department to the interdepartmental committee process in relation to the royal commission and – under questioning about whether the royal commission could be expanded to investigate racism towards Indigenous Australians – a departmental official noted the terms of reference already include “social cohesion” issues.
Greens leader Larissa Waters asked Senator McCarthy whether she had asked Attorney-General Michelle Rowland if the royal commission’s terms of reference could “specifically reference racism against First Nations people”.
“I’ve certainly raised that issue over a period of time since the royal commission was established,” Senator McCarthy said.
She was asked whether she thought the terms of reference were “broad enough to countenance those issues”.
“Well, I certainly understand that in terms of the terms of reference, there is an avenue there … I will be encouraging people to put in their submissions, in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people submissions to the royal commission about their concerns in regards to racism and hatred,” Senator McCarthy said.
As new details emerged about the $130 million cost and operation of the royal commission during budget estimates on Monday, Trade Minister Don Farrell came under pressure to explain Mr Albanese’s initial refusal to hold the inquiry.
Mr Albanese previously claimed that “actual and current experts” had advised him against the royal commission, which he used to justify his stalling on the decision despite refusing to name the people.
Under interrogation from Liberal senator Paul Scarr, Senator Farrell – who appeared at the hearing on behalf of Attorney-General Michelle Rowland – could not disclose who the experts were or whether any of them were from the department, saying: “I don’t know, senator, but I shall ask him (Mr Albanese) and come back to you.”
FULL STORY
Labor: racism against Indigenous may be captured by antisemitism royal commission (By Noah Yim and Elizabeth Pike, The Australian)