Australia is going backwards on race but ‘social cohesion’ is not the answer, commissioner warns

‘We shouldn’t get along at the expense of pretending racism doesn’t exist’: Australia’s race discrimination commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman. Photograph: Dan Peled/The Guardian

The ABC is at risk of isolating its workforce and diverse communities, the race discrimination commissioner has warned, saying the broadcaster’s handling of the unlawful termination case brought by Antoinette Lattouf has not been a “positive step”.

Giridharan Sivaraman, who was appointed the race discrimination commissioner in 2024, also warns there has been a “visceral increase” in racism in Australia and the country is “going backwards”.