6 Recommendations A set of key high-level recommendations have been included here for consideration by the Commission and other government bodies, based on the outcomes of this research. They are as follows: Recommendation 1: Establishment of a National Anti-Racism Council that brings together First Nations and CALD leaders and experts for the first time to advise government on strategic directions for policy and programs • Establishing a National Anti-Racism Council is an effective way to address all forms of racism at a national level. By establishing the Council, governments and organisations will be better able to promote effective social cohesion, social justice and equality. • It is important for the Council to include experts and advocates as well as First Nations and CALD representatives to support development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Framework. The Council will work directly with government, corporates and other stakeholders to ensure anti-racism initiatives are integrated into broader policies and programs. • Involving First Nations and CALD representatives is essential for the Council to promote diversity, inclusion, and equality. First Nations and CALD communities experience systemic racism and discrimination at exponentially higher rates than other communities. Recommendation 2: Development of a nationally recognised definition of racism • Developing a nationally recognised definition of racism is crucial to support efforts to combat racism. It would provide a baseline for individuals, organisations, and governments to identify and address instances of racism, and to develop effective strategies for prevention and intervention. This can help to generate more accurate and reliable data on the prevalence and impacts of racism, which would in turn inform government policy and decision-making. • Defining racism is an important step in developing effective ways to address it. By understanding the forms that racism can take, targeted programs can be developed to address racism and promote greater equality, inclusion and social cohesion. • Defining racism is an important step in creating consistency and shared understanding. Currently many initiatives in this area are framed in terms of social cohesion, diversity and inclusion. A clear and well supported definition will mean that more programs and policies will be able to confidently use the 64