Top commissioner slams councils for dodging racism with ‘social cohesion’ talk
Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman has become a political problem for Anthony Albanese after publicly slamming the government’s failure to tackle racism.
The Race Discrimination Commissioner has become a headache for the Albanese government.
Appointed to the role last year, Giridharan Sivaraman has been letting fly on what he really thinks about Australia’s approach to tackling racism – and it’s not pretty.
Speaking at a multicultural forum in Sydney two weeks ago, the lawyer let loose about councils dodging the word “racism”.
“They would prefer euphemisms like social cohesion or harmony,” he said.
“It’s never been completely clear to me what social cohesion means, but if it means that we all get along, we won’t get there by pretending racism doesn’t exist. You have to name the beast to slay it.”
Sivaraman said councils, as with many systems and institutions, were “built during colonial times” and “baked in during the White Australia policy”.
“They were not designed to let in people of colour,” he said.
“They certainly weren’t designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, so now, some of them are playing more than a century of catch-up”.
Mr Sivaraman spoke of the government’s failure to adopt his “national anti-racism framework”.
But his spokeswoman denied claims he had accused Immigration Minister Tony Burke of being “scared” to combat racism because of “pushback”, or that he had been unable to land a second meeting with Parramatta MP Andrew Charlton to discuss the plan.
“The commissioner has not made the alleged comments,” his spokeswoman said. However, he had “expressed his disappointment around the framework not being adopted to date”.
NOT GOING GAGA
Anthony Albanese was a late scratching to the Lady Gaga concert at Accor Stadium on Friday night.
The Sauce recently revealed the PM and embattled Sport Minister Anika Wells saw Oasis – she went on the second night.
But our moles claim few pollies, if any, were to be seen in any of the corporate boxes for the US singer’s show, no doubt spooked by the scrutiny over parliamentary expenses.
We hear NSW Sport Minister Steve Kamper, whose actual job it is to assess how his venues are holding up during the big shows, might have attended on Saturday night.
NATS NATTER
Hours after labelling Barnaby Joyce’s defection to One Nation a “dummy spit”, Nationals senator Matt Canavan was spotted having breakfast with his former boss.
Our spies saw the pair at the Legal Grounds Cafe in Sydney’s CBD ahead of the state funeral for former Labor powerbroker Graham Richardson.
Still on the Nats, it was a very trim former deputy premier John Barilaro at the NSW Nationals’ end-of-year drinks last week. We hear he is still living on Sydney’s northern beaches where he is often spotted running.
TEAM BONDING
Premier Chris Minns and his ministers headed up to Newcastle on Friday and Saturday for an overnight community cabinet and planning meeting.
The Sauce was told former Queensland premier (and Balmain resident) Peter Beattie addressed the group, with the discussions including the topics of leadership, honesty, integrity and discipline in decision-making.
Several stakeholders also participated in the ministerial off-site, including those representing Newcastle airport, Hunter workers, Business Hunter, John Hunter Hospital and the Port of Newcastle.
The group stayed overnight at Noah’s on the Beach, where the bill for the rooms came in at $8478.
Another $3389 was spent on the hire of a function room.
The Sauce was told Police Minister Yasmin Catley, Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison and Women Minister Jodie Harrison, who live nearby, did not stay at the hotel.
It is the second Cabinet off-site in this term of government.
SPOTTED
Former opposition leader Mark Speakman walking into Parliament House in his barrister silks and wigs. The Sauce was told he was moving the admission of a former staffer as a lawyer.
Got some Sauce? Contact linda.silmalis@news.com.au
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