Race Discrimination Commissioner to address National Press Club

Event: National Press Club Address 
Speaker: Giridharan Sivaraman, Race Discrimination Commissioner 
Topic: ‘There’s nothing casual about racism: Getting serious about racial equality in Australia’ 
Date: Wednesday 6 August 2025, 12.00pm - 1.30pm 
Location: National Press Club of Australia, 16 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 
Broadcast: Live on ABC and available via National Press Club livestream 

Overview: 
Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, will deliver a landmark address at the National Press Club, calling for urgent and coordinated national action to combat racism in Australia. 

Drawing on extensive national consultations by the Australian Human Rights Commission, Commissioner Sivaraman will highlight how racism continues to affect every aspect of daily life—from workplaces and schools to healthcare, justice, media, and the arts. 

Marking 50 years since the Racial Discrimination Act was passed, the Commissioner will argue that Australia needs a whole-of-society approach to achieving racial equality. He will outline the vision and urgency behind the National Anti-Racism Framework—a ten-year roadmap for systemic change that centres First Nations voices and shifts the burden of action away from those most harmed by racism. 

Commissioner Sivaraman will also share insights from key Commission projects, including: 

• Racism@Uni – a national study into racism in higher education 

• Seen and Heard – a project examining the rise in antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism since October 2023 

With decades of experience as a lawyer and advocate for victims of racial discrimination and vilification, Commissioner Sivaraman will offer a compelling vision for a more just and inclusive Australia.