Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Indian-origin Giridharan Sivaraman, Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner under the Albanese government, has triggered a major political controversy after describing Australia as “stolen land” and questioning the celebration of January 26 as Australia Day.
Speaking on an SBS podcast, Sivaraman said January 26 marked the beginning of colonisation and the displacement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, making it a deeply conflicting date. He said the day carries an “undercurrent of nationalism” that pressures people to unquestioningly celebrate the nation.
Sivaraman, who migrated from India at a young age, said he personally feels conflicted about Australia Day and questioned what the country is celebrating. He argued that Australia’s institutions were built to privilege colonialism and “whiteness,” adding that these systems were designed to hide the historical reality that Indigenous people lived on the land long before European settlement.
The commissioner further said Australia Day had been “co-opted by white supremacists” and called for the date to be changed. He stated that January 26 symbolises the start of colonisation, which led to massacres, dispossession, forced removals, and other injustices against First Nations communities.
Sivaraman maintained that it was appropriate for the Race Discrimination Commissioner to speak about the dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to address forms of nationalism linked to racism and hate speech.
However, the remarks drew sharp criticism from political leaders and media commentators. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said Australia Day was an opportunity for Australians to “celebrate everything that unites us as a nation.” Opposition spokesperson Andrew Wallace described the comments as “ill-informed,” saying it was wrong to suggest Australia’s institutions discriminate based on skin colour.
Sky News host James Macpherson also criticised Sivaraman, urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to remove him from the post. Macpherson questioned whether retaining a senior public servant making such remarks aligned with the government’s stated goal of social cohesion.
