Appearing on the ABC National Forum on Monday night, lawyer and human rights advocate Nyadol Nyuon rejected the concept of Australia as an Anglo-Celtic culture and announced she has no intention of assimilating. According to Ms. Nyuon, the use of terms like Anglo-Celtic creates a false impression that a generalized white culture exists somewhere and can be recreated in Australia, adding that Australia has never been monocultural.
Debate Over Anglo-Celtic Culture and National Identity on ABC National Forum
During the immigration debate on Monday, Ms. Nyuon stated that Australia’s history includes Indigenous populations who spoke multiple languages and belonged to different nations prior to European settlement, followed by diverse post-World War II immigration waves. She stated that while she does not accuse anyone of being racist, terms like Anglo-Celtic imply a threatened white culture, whereas distinct cultures like Italian, French, and Argentinian exist.
Former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson defended the use of the term Anglo-Celtic, stating it relates to Aussie values that grant individual dignity, the rule of law, equality before the law, and the separation of the secular and the sacred. When host David Speers asked who was not respecting those values, Mr. Anderson asserted that security forces are monitoring a significant number of people who are uncommitted to the Australian way of life and that the public is concerned. In response, Ms. Nyuon stated that Australians have a right to be concerned, but noted that national security concerns also include 40 per cent of concerns about white nationalism, disputing the idea that a single specific group is uniquely criminal.
Nyadol Nyuon Defends Respect for Australian Law While Rejecting Assimilation
Addressing an audience member’s earlier comment, Ms. Nyuon declared that she has no intention of assimilating. She emphasized her respect for Australia and its legal system, noting that she attended law school and studied the law. According to Ms. Nyuon, a distinction exists between wearing certain attire and possessing a mentality capable of appreciating Australia, a capacity she believes the dominant amount of migrants hold.
Ms. Nyuon was born in a refugee camp in Ethiopia in 1987 after her family fled the Sudanese civil war, and she arrived in Australia as an 18-year-old. Earlier this year, she announced her decision to begin the slow and certain process of renouncing her citizenship.
Disillusionment Following Victoria University and WorkSafe Victoria Controversy
Ms. Nyuon stated that her decision to renounce her citizenship stems from disillusionment following her resignation last year as head of Victoria University’s Sir Zelman Cowen Centre. Her departure occurred amid controversy surrounding an $800,000 taxpayer-funded project intended to protect diverse women in workplaces. The center had been contracted by WorkSafe Victoria to manage the WorkWell Respect Network, a Victorian government initiative involving educational forums and workshops that faced delays and allegations of mismanagement.
Last year, Ms. Nyuon accused her former employer and WorkSafe Victoria of racism and stated she left the program early out of concern that she was being used as corporate blackface. She subsequently detailed claims of mistreatment by both organizations, reporting mental health struggles resulting from what she described as sustained psychological and emotional assault.
Describing her experience on Monday night, Ms. Nyuon said that institutions identifying as woke and supportive of diversity conducted themselves in a manner that broke her faith in staying in the country. She noted that her decision to leave came from grief rather than anger.
In response to the claims, a Victoria University spokeswoman stated that the institution is committed to fostering a respectful, safe, and inclusive workplace culture, cares about its community, and acts accordingly. The university chose not to comment further, noting that its silence should not be viewed as an admission of the described events, and emphasized that the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved remains its primary concern. A WorkSafe Victoria spokeswoman stated that the agency values stakeholder experiences, including project review feedback, to support workplace safety improvements.