Author: mediadiv

Media Diversity Australia Symposium 2025: Power, Platform, Possibility

The Media Diversity Australia (MDA) 2025 Symposium, held on Monday 13 October in partnership with Western Sydney University (WSU), marked another inspiring chapter in MDA’s ongoing mission to transform the face and voice of Australian media.

This year’s event brought together over 30 trailblazing speakers, including leading journalists, academics, editors, and storytellers, to unpack the urgent issues shaping today’s media – from press freedom and racial equity to digital ethics and newsroom inclusion. The day-long program delivered keynote speeches, panels, and interactive workshops that ignited critical conversations while offering attendees a renewed sense of community, courage, and optimism.

The morning opened with a Welcome to Country by Peta Strachan, followed by powerful addresses from MDA CEO Paula Kruger and Distinguished Professor George Williams AO. A stirring keynote from Michael Slezak of the MEAA set the tone, spotlighting the dangers faced by journalists worldwide when truth becomes convenient to suppress, and the urgent need to defend press freedom.

A standout moment came during the “Breaking the Mould” conversation between Antoinette Lattouf and Jan Fran which explored the shifting narrative of diversity, anti-racism, media literacy, and the ongoing fight for equity in public discourse. The Race Discrimination Commissioner Giri Sivaraman also addressed attendees, reinforcing the role of journalism in advancing social justice and accountability.

Panels throughout the day examined pressing questions: How can media redefine “objectivity” without silencing lived experience? What does inclusive storytelling look like in regional and remote communities? And how are journalists from the Global South inspiring and reshaping media norms worldwide?

Afternoon sessions turned insight into action, offering hands-on workshops on race reporting, mental health and digital trauma, storytelling beyond the newsroom, and pathways for early-career journalists. The Indigenous Autonomy panel, featuring Rhianna Patrick, Professor Susan Page, and Peta MacGivillray powerfully addressed the heavy impact of the rhetoric, public discourse around and result of the Voice Referendum on First Nations communities sovereignty, while Tanya Denning Orman (SBS) and Professor Azadeh Dastyari (WSU) delivered impassioned keynotes on First Nations futures, race, law, and the media.

Closing with Professor Tanya Notley’s keynote on news literacy and platform power, and the timely panel “The Algorithm Has Bias”, the symposium underscored the complex intersection of technology, truth, and inclusion in today’s media environment.

The event received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, who described it as “empowering,” “eye-opening,” and “essential.”

In collaboration with Western Sydney University’s School of Humanities & Communication Arts and the Centre for Western Sydney, the 2025 Symposium once again demonstrated that diversity and integrity are not in conflict – they are the foundation of a thriving, democratic media.

A heartfelt thank you to all speakers, moderators, and attendees who helped make the 2025 MDA Symposium a resounding success.

Celebrating the Next Generation: Media Diversity Australia Mentorship Graduation 2025

Media Diversity Australia (MDA) proudly celebrated the 2025 Mentorship Program Graduation, honouring the achievements of emerging journalists from racially and culturally marginalised backgrounds. The event brought together mentees, mentors, and media leaders for an inspiring evening of reflection, discussion, and connection.

The evening opened with a dynamic panel discussion featuring three trailblazers in Australian journalism: Nour Haydar (Full Story Podcast Co-host, Guardian Australia), Natalie Ahmet (Head of Indigenous News and Current Affairs, NITV), and Alicia Vrajlal (Founder of Draw Your Box). Together, they explored how media leaders can overcome systemic barriers, embrace diversity, and drive lasting change in an ever-evolving industry.

In a conversation that was both candid and deeply inspiring, the panellists shared their personal experiences navigating the media landscape and offered practical insights on leadership, allyship, and the importance of creating culturally safe spaces in newsrooms. They also spoke to the ongoing need for mentorship and community, particularly for emerging journalists seeking to challenge bias and bring fresh perspectives to the stories that shape Australia’s national conversation.

Following the panel, the spotlight turned to this year’s incredible cohort of MDA mentees, who were formally recognised for completing the program. The graduation segment was a heartfelt celebration of their growth, resilience, and ambition – a testament to the power of guidance and representation in shaping the next generation of diverse storytellers. Congratulations again tot our graduates – Satara, Minyue, Ria, Darshana and Sumaiya – and to our fabulous mentors who made this program possible!

After the formalities, guests gathered over snacks and networking, sharing experiences, laughter, and new ideas for the future. The atmosphere was one of genuine warmth and solidarity, reflecting the supportive community MDA has worked to cultivate.

Now a cornerstone of MDA’s mission, the Mentorship Program continues to empower the next generation of journalists by building confidence, connections, and career pathways that challenge systemic barriers in Australian newsrooms..

The 2025 graduation reaffirmed what MDA stands for: that diversity is not just an ideal but a strength, one that fuels better journalism, deeper storytelling, and a media landscape that truly reflects Australia’s communities.

A heartfelt thank you to our mentors, speakers, and graduates for making the evening so meaningful. Together, we’re helping to build a more inclusive and representative future for Australian media.

The Media Diversity Australia (MDA) 2024 Symposium, held on Thursday 3rd October in partnership with Western Sydney University, was a resounding success, bringing together 36 prominent speakers, including media professionals, academics, and advocates. The inaugural event featured a rich schedule of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive workshops that addressed the challenges of inclusive media reporting while offering a sense of hope, solidarity, and empowerment to attendees. 

Highlights included  keynotes on reporting live on BLM by ABC journalist Elias Clure, reporting on the Referendum as an Indigenous journalist by NITV’s Rhanna Collins, as well as best practices in disability reporting by Disability Rights and Political Reporter Emma Myers from Canberra Community Radio Network. The event featured high profile speakers included Waleed Aly, Maria Thattil, Marc Fennell, Dai Le MP and Narelda Jacobs while an important spotlight was placed on younger talent including Kamin Gock, Sowaibah Hanifie, Anushri Sood, Achol Arok and Rashida Yosufzai. 

The event also hosted workshops on mental health for journalists and brought together panels of executives and academics to discuss race reporting, ethical leadership and decision-making, all of which drew enthusiastic participation. 

The Symposium’s impact was amplified by its focus on addressing the mixed emotions and systemic challenges that marginalised communities face in media representation.  

In collaboration with Western Sydney University’s School of Humanities & Communication Arts, the Whitlam Institute, and the Australian Communities Foundation, the Symposium illuminated pathways to a more diverse and equitable media landscape. Special thanks to WSU’s Dr. Leo Robba, who moderated a key conversation on the challenges of regional newsrooms and played a pivotal role in bringing the vision of the event to life. 

 The Symposium, coinciding with the release of the ABC’s Racism review, also provided an important platform for a timely and nuanced executive panel discussion with the ABC’s News Director Justin Stevens, SBS’s News Director Mandi Wicks and AAP’s board director Shirley Chowdhary as they conclusively agreed that there is in fact, no conflict between diversity and impartiality.  The Symposium succeeded in generating meaningful dialogue on the future of media diversity in Australia, providing a culturally safe platform to discuss the issues that have continued to plague the industry while helping the light the way forward for how to better tackle some of those challenges. 

The day concluded with the launch of MDA’s Race Reporting Handbook following a powerful address by the Race Discrimination Commissioner Giri Sivaraman. The Handbook authored by Jenae Tien and Karina Hogan is a practical guide to help the sector that ultimately helps shape the health of democracy, how to better report on race relations and has the potential to transform how race is reported across Australian media. 

The overwhelming feedback has confirmed that the Symposium left attendees feeling uplifted and empowered, ready to take concrete steps towards a more inclusive future for Australian media. 

A massive thank you to WSU photographer Sally Tsoutas and WSU student photographer Abubakr Sajid for capturing these photos. 

On Tuesday 30th July 2024, students, communications graduates and journalists were invited by MDA’s NSW Chapter to connect with each other, share ideas and build new relationships.

The event fostered an expansion of networks and supported the building of rapport between fellow professionals in the media and communications industry.

MDA was delighted to endorse and participate in the highly enlightening Diverse Voices, Digital Edge event hosted by AAP in partnership with Google.

Attendees had the invaluable opportunity to gain insights into the future of AI and fact checking from seasoned trainer Neil Varcoe.

The panel session featured compelling discussions led by esteemed journalists Nour Haydar and Alicia Vrajlal, along with MDA’s CEO Mariam Veiszadeh. The panellists emphasised the critical understanding that objectivity is an external process, not a natural state which can be eroded simply by virtue of one belonging to a minority group and having a diverse lived experience.