The Australian government will launch an inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at First Nations people, as Indigenous people continue to share their experiences of bigotry across the country.
The investigation will be conducted by the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and comes just over a month after an alleged terror attack targeting First Peoples at an Invasion Day rally in Perth on January 26.
Experts say the attempted bombing had the potential to become a mass-casualty event and follows a separate attack last August on the sacred Indigenous site Camp Sovereignty, where neo-Nazis allegedly assaulted and attacked community members.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said she had written to the committee requesting it begin the inquiry and report back by 15 September.
"First Nations people are feeling scared and angry in the wake of the alleged terrorist attack in Boorloo, Perth and last year's attack on Camp Sovereignty," Senator McCarthy said.
"I know this has been a difficult time for families and communities. This inquiry ensures they can have their say and their experiences will be heard by the Parliament."
The committee will investigate the nature, scale and impact of racism, hate and violence directed at Indigenous people, including systemic racism, the influence of online platforms, and measures designed to prevent and respond to discrimination.
It will also assess the risks posed by ideologically motivated extremism; examine how intelligence and law enforcement agencies work to protect communities from those threats; and review initiatives aimed at reducing the individual and collective harm caused by racism, hatred and violence against First Peoples.
Committee Chair, Senator Jana Stewart, said First Nations people in Australia "deserve to live free from racism, hate and violence.
"This inquiry is an important opportunity to understand the nature, prevalence and impact of racism in our communities and to identify practical actions for combatting racism and reducing individual and collective harm," the Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman said.
"If we are serious about community safety, we must confront the environment in which hatred grows."
The attack on Camp Sovereignty — described as a peaceful and sacred gathering place in Naarm that holds the repatriated remains of 38 Aboriginal Victorians — has resulted in at least 15 neo-Nazis being charged.
In Perth, the Invasion Day attack has been classified by authorities as an alleged act of terror — the first of its kind in the state's history.
Police allege Liam Alexander Hall was motivated by racial hatred when he threw an explosive device at a crowd of about 2,500 Indigenous people, families and supporters on January 26. The device did not detonate, despite a fuse allegedly being lit.
Beyond physical attacks, reports suggest racism online has intensified. First Nations people, including school children, are facing daily racist threats. A recent report also found widespread racism experienced by First Nations students at universities.
Rebecca Lewis, a research fellow at the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Technology Sydney, said earlier this year that racism in schools is often downplayed despite its serious impacts.
"When First Nations children experience racism at school, it cuts deeply. These are spaces where they should feel protected, yet many are subjected to public humiliation and trauma," she said.
"Too often this is dismissed as bullying. But racism is not bullying and treating it that way allows harm against First Nations children to be normalised and continue without accountability."
Reports have also heard of first-hand experience of racism at the hands of police and throughout workplaces.
Senator Lidia Thorpe has been vocal in her criticism of the government for not doing more to combat racism towards First Peoples, and has urged them to adopt the National Anti-Racism Framework developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission and handed over November 2024.
Since the alleged January 26 terror attack, she argued last week, "we need serious, targeted action to address growing racism, hate, and white supremacy against us".
"The roadmap is there. They need to stop deflecting and delaying and just get on and do the work," Senator Thorpe said.
Senator McCarthy said she regularly hears from Indigenous people across the country that they are "facing increasing hate and racism, especially online".
"We must stand up against racism in all its forms," she said.
First Nations people to engage with the inquiry and consider making a submission, with further information online. The Committee welcomes submissions on one or more of the terms of reference by Friday, 1 May 2026.
Submissions can be written, or in other formats such as video, photos or artwork and emailed to [email protected] or sent via post.
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