Racial abuse of veteran Indigenous Australian journalist sparks uproar

After more than 30 years in the public eye, Australia’s best-known Indigenous journalist has stepped back from broadcasting after facing racial abuse, sending shock waves through the country as it this year readies Indigenous rights enshrined in the constitution. To make sure a referendum is ready.

Stan Grant, an author and a journalist, said he would be stepping down from his role of presenting current affairs programs on public broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation. She received a torrent of abuse for her role in the broadcaster’s coverage of the coronation of King Charles III, when she spoke out about the effects of colonialism on indigenous peoples.

Grant, 59-year-old Wiradjuri man, stopped Q+AThe show she has hosted for two years delivered a powerful speech this week addressing those who targeted her online.

“If your aim was to hurt me, you have succeeded,” he said. “I am sorry that I may have given you so much reason to hate me, to target me and my family, to make threats against me,” he said.

The public result comes months before a referendum – known as “The Voice” – in which Australians will be asked to vote on whether to amend the constitution to include symbolic recognition of Indigenous peoples and political Establish an advisory body on matters that affect indigenous communities.

Grant’s departure raised tensions over the vote, which was proposed by the Labor government of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Recognition of First Nations people, who have long been victims of discrimination and prejudice, was one of Albanese’s central election pledges.

Opposition to the vote, which is expected to take place between October and December, has grown in recent months.

Opposition Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton has said he will campaign for a “no” vote, arguing the Canberra-based advisory body will not benefit rural communities.

Albanese said critics were spreading “misinformation” about the referendum, implying that the remit of the advisory body may be too broad.

“When the ‘No’ campaigners make these absurd claims about what the Voice will concern itself with, I simply say to them – and indeed to all Australians after this debate – ‘Just for a moment, yourself Put yourself in the shoes of the people calling for this change’,” the prime minister said.

Tim Southfomasen, chief diversity officer at the University of Oxford and formerly Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, said the uproar over Grant “confirms the challenge that lies ahead for the ‘yes’ case for an Indigenous voice”. Politics is threatening to derail the push for constitutional reform.

Karen Mundine, head of the non-governmental Indigenous organization Reconciliation Australia, said the scandal had arisen in the wider context of the apartheid of Indigenous sporting stars, such as Australian rules football player Adam Goodes. He cited data from the country’s online safety commissioner, which showed a 10 per cent increase in complaints of online racial abuse since the referendum campaign began.

“These incidents, and the recent racist abuse of several First Nations sporting stars, demonstrate once again that Australia still has a long way to go towards building a cohesive and just society,” she said.

The situation sparked a crisis at the ABC when Grant accused the broadcaster of “institutional failure” for not defending him against racial abuse. ABC employees walked out this week in support of the veteran journalist. Broadcaster executives have apologized for not backing Grant up sooner.

ABC news director Justin Stevens told a Senate hearing on racism this week that Grant had become the “public face” of criticism of the broadcaster’s coronation coverage while he was only a guest on a 40-minute segment that was part of a . 8 hour broadcast.

Stevens said Grant – author of the Queen is DeadA book – about the Crown’s role in the colonization of Indigenous Australians – had become a target for “vitriolic abuse” and “venomous, racist” online commentary.

According to ABC’s managing director, David Anderson, ABC received 1,800 complaints about the segment from viewers, “hundreds” of which were racist. “I am concerned about our First Nations staff, especially as we move to Voices to ensure that they are adequately protected,” he told a Senate hearing.

Grant ended his Q+A address this week with a scathing comment on print and digital media, which both ABC and Grant blame for fueling anger towards him. He said the media was often a “poison in the blood of our society” that was “not respecting a world truly worth living in”.

“I am not going away for a while because of racism. We get it too many times. I’m not running because of social media hate,” Grant said as he ended his show. “I need a break from the media. I feel like I’m part of the problem. And I need to ask myself how, or if, we can do this better.

After more than 30 years in the public eye, Australia’s best-known Indigenous journalist has stepped back from broadcasting after facing racial abuse, sending shock waves through the country as it this year readies Indigenous rights enshrined in the constitution. To make sure a referendum is ready.

Stan Grant, an author and a journalist, said he would be stepping down from his role of presenting current affairs programs on public broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation. She received a torrent of abuse for her role in the broadcaster’s coverage of the coronation of King Charles III, when she spoke out about the effects of colonialism on indigenous peoples.

Grant, 59-year-old Wiradjuri man, stopped Q+AThe show she has hosted for two years delivered a powerful speech this week addressing those who targeted her online.

“If your aim was to hurt me, you have succeeded,” he said. “I am sorry that I may have given you so much reason to hate me, to target me and my family, to make threats against me,” he said.

The public result comes months before a referendum – known as “The Voice” – in which Australians will be asked to vote on whether to amend the constitution to include symbolic recognition of Indigenous peoples and political Establish an advisory body on matters that affect indigenous communities.

Grant’s departure raised tensions over the vote, which was proposed by the Labor government of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Recognition of First Nations people, who have long been victims of discrimination and prejudice, was one of Albanese’s central election pledges.

Opposition to the vote, which is expected to take place between October and December, has grown in recent months.

Opposition Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton has said he will campaign for a “no” vote, arguing the Canberra-based advisory body will not benefit rural communities.

Albanese said critics were spreading “misinformation” about the referendum, implying that the remit of the advisory body may be too broad.

“When the ‘No’ campaigners make these absurd claims about what the Voice will concern itself with, I simply say to them – and indeed to all Australians after this debate – ‘Just for a moment, yourself Put yourself in the shoes of the people calling for this change’,” the prime minister said.

Tim Southfomasen, chief diversity officer at the University of Oxford and formerly Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, said the uproar over Grant “confirms the challenge that lies ahead for the ‘yes’ case for an Indigenous voice”. Politics is threatening to derail the push for constitutional reform.

Karen Mundine, head of the non-governmental Indigenous organization Reconciliation Australia, said the scandal had arisen in the wider context of the apartheid of Indigenous sporting stars, such as Australian rules football player Adam Goodes. He cited data from the country’s online safety commissioner, which showed a 10 per cent increase in complaints of online racial abuse since the referendum campaign began.

“These incidents, and the recent racist abuse of several First Nations sporting stars, demonstrate once again that Australia still has a long way to go towards building a cohesive and just society,” she said.

The situation sparked a crisis at the ABC when Grant accused the broadcaster of “institutional failure” for not defending him against racial abuse. ABC employees walked out this week in support of the veteran journalist. Broadcaster executives have apologized for not backing Grant up sooner.

ABC news director Justin Stevens told a Senate hearing on racism this week that Grant had become the “public face” of criticism of the broadcaster’s coronation coverage while he was only a guest on a 40-minute segment that was part of a . 8 hour broadcast.

Stevens said Grant – author of the Queen is DeadA book – about the Crown’s role in the colonization of Indigenous Australians – had become a target for “vitriolic abuse” and “venomous, racist” online commentary.

According to ABC’s managing director, David Anderson, ABC received 1,800 complaints about the segment from viewers, “hundreds” of which were racist. “I am concerned about our First Nations staff, especially as we move to Voices to ensure that they are adequately protected,” he told a Senate hearing.

Grant ended his Q+A address this week with a scathing comment on print and digital media, which both ABC and Grant blame for fueling anger towards him. He said the media was often a “poison in the blood of our society” that was “not respecting a world truly worth living in”.

“I am not going away for a while because of racism. We get it too many times. I’m not running because of social media hate,” Grant said as he ended his show. “I need a break from the media. I feel like I’m part of the problem. And I need to ask myself how, or if, we can do this better.