The ABC’s managing director has apologised to indigenous and culturally diverse staff for racism they've experienced at the national broadcaster. An independent revie has examined how the organisation supports staff. ABC management has committed to tackling systemic racism, accepting 'In principle' all fifteen recommendations of the report.
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00:00Contrition from the top.
00:04I am deeply sorry to anybody who has experienced racism at the ABC.
00:09The ABC's managing director acknowledging and apologising for racism.
00:14It cannot happen. It must stop. It must stop in society and it must stop for the ABC.
00:19The independent review, led by Dr Terry Janke, was commissioned after Wiradjuri man Stan Grant
00:25stepped down from presenting programs, accusing the ABC of failing to defend him from racist abuse.
00:32120 former and current employees spoke to the reviewers.
00:37All but one had experienced racism, including offensive remarks and exclusion,
00:43as well as barriers to career progression, pay discrepancies and inconsistent support.
00:49This suggests racism is systemic at the ABC, the report found,
00:54and that the ABC's policies and practices disadvantage people who are First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse.
01:02It's a wake-up call for the national broadcaster that this has been happening for some time and right now,
01:08and that we all need to do better.
01:10You have to name the beast to slay it, and that's a really important start, and so change is happening right now.
01:17The report made 15 recommendations, all of which the ABC's management has accepted in principle.
01:23They include appointing a First Nations director to the leadership team,
01:27anti-racism training for all employees, and improving responses to public attacks on diverse staff.
01:34Former race discrimination commissioner Chin Tan has been hired to help bring in change,
01:40but addressing some of the issues raised will require cultural shifts, a challenge for the ABC and Australian society.