UN race committee criticises Australia's record

The United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) meets regularly to consider progress by governments on eliminating racial discrimination. This year it was the Australian Government’s turn to again appear before the Committee. Previous appearances before the Committee in 1999 and 2000 resulted in criticsm of the Government's actions in a number of areas, including native title and reconciliation.

In early March, CERD members considered reports from the Australian Government as well as a number of reports from nongovernment organisations working in the area. ANTaR’s submission raised concerns in the areas of reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs such as the abolition of ATSIC and with it elected national Indigenous representation; the extent of Indigenous disadvantage, especially in health; and the stalling of progress on national reconciliation. ANTaR also contributed to a separate submission by a coalition of 30 NGOs.

In its concluding observations on Australia, the Committee expressed serious concerns about the abolition of ATSIC; lack of progress in native title; the continuing over-representation of Indigenous peoples in prisons; and the extreme inequities between Indigenous peoples and others in the areas of employment, housing, health, education and income. The Committee requested the government provide more information about its progress in some of these areas within 1 year, rather than the normal reporting time of 3 years.

CERD also called on the Australian Government to work towards meaningful reconciliation and to properly address the issues of the Stolen Generation.

The Government has so far remained silent on the Committee's criticisms and its past rejection of similar criticisms suggests little will be different this time.

ANTaR has called on the Australian Government to genuinely consult and seek the participation of Australian Indigenous peoples and their organisations on how they will respond to the Committee’s concerns and requests for further information.