Employees at the ABC have reported their extensive experiences of racism while working at the national broadcaster.
An independent review, led by lawyer Dr Terri Janke, heard from scores of Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) employees about prejudices they had experienced from both outside and inside the organisation.
The 'Listen Loudly, Act Strongly' review reported that, amongst the 120 current and former ABC employees that provided submissions, only one said they had not personally witnessed racism while working there.
Every single Indigenous participant said they had been exposed to racism while working at the ABC.
In delivering the report, Dr Janke and the other members of the Review Team said they were "extremely grateful" to participants.
"It takes courage for people who have experienced racism to speak out about their experiences," they wrote.
"This document was challenging to write, and it will be challenging to read. It confronts racism in the systems of one of our national institutions."
The report was welcomed by media union, Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), as a "watershed moment" for the sector.
"All Australian media organisations are now on notice that they can no longer ignore these issues of inclusion, access and diversity,” said acting Director of MEAA Media, Michelle Rae.
"It is shameful that so many ABC staff have felt abandoned by their employer when they have suffered racism, discrimination and bias. Other media organisations cannot assume these issues are isolated to the national broadcaster."
15 recommendations made
The report was commissioned by the ABC itself at the suggestions of the broadcaster's Indigenous advisory body, the Bonner Committee.
It also came in the wake of the furore that saw journalist Stan Grant depart the broadcaster last year, amid accusations the ABC's executive had failed to defend him in the face sustained attacks from the conservative media.
The Review Team commended the broadcaster for commissioning the report, but said actions must follow.
"Listening and acknowledging these experiences is the first step toward change, but it requires committed action to follow," it reads.
"There are 15 recommendations to guide the way forward.
"The ABC must accept that racism exists in the organisation, and that ABC staff are subjected to racism from external sources."
The report also calls on the ABC's leadership to read the report, "particularly the staff reports".
It also encouraged the leadership to to communicate to their teams their own reflections on the findings that the report had made.
Managing Director David Anderson on Tuesday apologised to ABC employees who had experienced "any and all racist behaviour and past harms experienced by our Indigenous and CALD employees, either currently or formerly employed".
"We all need to do better for our colleagues on our commitment to zero tolerance for racism in our workplace," he said.
