A national inquiry into racism, hate, and violence towards First Nations people convened in Hobart on Wednesday, August 5th, 2026, to hear from Tasmanian Aboriginal groups and individuals with lived experiences of racism.
The Tebrakunna Rangers, a group of mostly young Aboriginal men and women working in the Central Highlands, shared how they faced a surge of racist comments after posting a photo of their collaboration with Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania on Facebook. The comments included derogatory remarks about their skin color and questioned their Aboriginal identity, with some stating, "all the Tasmanian Aboriginal people died so who are these fake people pretending to be Aboriginal people?" The abuse was so severe that the group was forced to disable comments on the post.
Nick Cameron, chairman of the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Communities Alliance (TRACA) and a Pairrebeene/Trawlwoolway man, described the comments as deeply offensive and noted a significant escalation in racism since the Voice referendum. He emphasized that while the abuse was not physical, the impact of hurtful words on social media can be just as damaging.
A representative speaking at the inquiry also highlighted ongoing government assertions over Aboriginal identity in Lutruwita (Tasmania), stating that Aboriginal people have the right to determine their community and who speaks on their behalf.
The inquiry aims to address these issues of racism and its impact on First Nations communities across Australia.
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