In 1989, two police officers in an outback NSW town attended a fancy dress charity fund-raising party.They painted their faces black and dressed with nooses around their necks, mocking and parodying the recent deaths of two Aboriginal men: Lloyd Boney, who died in police custody in 1987, and David Gundy, who was fatally shot in Sydney during a bungled police raid in 1989.Apparently, those at the event thought nothing out it.It was a joke, satire, a bit of Aussie humour.The incident only came to light in March 1992, when amateur video of the event was broadcast on national television.It provoked outrage around the country, and prompted then prime minister Paul Keating to suggest it was time for all Australians to re-examine their attitudes towards First Nations people.“We should make this a turning point,” he said. "We should decide that we should expunge racism from every corner of this country, and I ask Australians, how we can hope to have pride in ourselves when we debase our values in this way?For many Indigenous Australians, that turning point on racism has never come.Today in 2026, mocking Indigenous people in this country, it seems, is still in fashion.The most recent example hit our social media platforms this week.An online comedian portraying a white woman choosing to ‘identify’ as an Indigenous Australian to mock both Indigenous Australians and those who identify as Aboriginal.The video also shows the female comedian wearing face paint, dancing, performing a mock smoking ceremony, and sniffing a jerry-can.Sniffing a jerry-can? What the actual…??The video displays the logo of the SBS programme 'Insight', despite not being associated with the show or the network.In a statement, SBS said it is aware of the posts and the unauthorised use of its logos, and had reported the video.“The posts and individual are in no way associated with our content and have been reported,” the organisation said in a statement.“SBS unequivocally condemns all forms of racism and recognises the damaging impact it has on individuals, communities and social cohesion. "Such views have no place in Australian society.”The now widely criticised and condemned video comes amid a senate inquiry into racism, hate and violence against First Peoples, currently being conducted by the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.Evidence presented to the inquiry reveals growing concern about the scale of racism and hate experienced by First Nations people online, with many submissions highlighting social media as a significant source of harm. “Racism towards Aboriginal people in this country is so common, so every day, that it is seen by many as normal, just having a joke, just a bit of fun,” one submission noted.“I am deeply alarmed by anecdotal reports from Aboriginal friends, colleagues and associates that racism and hatred directed towards First Nations people is increasing,” another submission documented.“As a high school teacher, the number of times I've heard colleagues make horrible comments about students of Indigenous backgrounds is not small. "It makes me wonder how these students are treated in the classroom by those teachers. When rebuking one colleague for an inappropriate comment, I was told to 'lighten up,’" another submission highlighted.These submissions form part of almost 300 contributions already lodged with the inquiry, reflecting the experiences and concerns of individuals, health organisations, land councils, peak bodies, government agencies and advocacy groups.They assert that racism remains widespread, persistent and deeply damaging, affecting almost every aspect of life.Yingiya Mark Guyula is the Member for Mulka from the NT Legislative Assembly and a senior leader for the Ḻiya-dhalinymirr clan of the Djambarrpuyŋu Nation from Yolŋu country in North East Arnhem Land.In his 21-page submission to the inquiry, he illustrated personal experiences of racism and hate to give insight into what many Aboriginal people experience on a daily basis in the Northern Territory.“Many of the social media comments highlight the highly offensive and hate-filled speech that First Nations people face,” he wrote.“Social media comments are wide-reaching and highly damaging. "They teach Aboriginal children that we are worthless and can be spoken about in this way, and they set an example for everyone else that it’s okay to speak about Aboriginal people in this way.”300% increase in negative commentsIn its submission, NITV and SBS noted that racism has increased since the Voice Referendum“During and following the referendum there has been a rise in racism, hate and violence directed at First Nations people. "Misinformation about First Nations people and communities were widespread during this period, and the consequences have not abated since the referendum’s conclusion.”From January 2024 to April 2026, NITV recorded an almost 300 per cent increase in negative comments on its Facebook and Instagram platforms.The scale of this abuse has required NITV to take direct action at its own cost to protect its staff and audiences. Since 2023, NITV has engaged external moderation services to reduce the exposure of its predominantly First Nations team to harmful and racist commentary.These incidents are not exceptions. They are representative of conditions that NITV and SBS managed on an ongoing basis – conditions that have worsened since the 2023 referendum.Escalation to offline harm and violenceIn its submission to the inquiry, First Nations Media Australia (FNMA) stated that racism against First Nations Australians is not a relic of the past and that they believe it is alive and well in Australia.As the national peak body supporting First Nations media organisations, networks and workers across Australia, FNMA described how online platforms amplify racism directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people which allowing inflammatory and divisive content that create environments where racist narratives can flourish."Social media platforms amplify stories and images that reflect poorly on First Nations communities at speed and scale that traditional media cannot match,” they wrote.“Racism against First Nations Australians is not inevitable. It was constructed.”Alarmingly FNMA also raised concerns that online racism may escalate to offline harm and violence.This fear was echoed by Ken Wyatt AM, a former Liberal Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs and now Chair University of Western Australia Public Policy Institute.“There is a growing presence of ideologically motivated extremism targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People,” he wrote.“There is a growing body of evidence indicating the rise of ideologically motivated extremism that specifically targets Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities. "This is not limited to isolated incidents; rather, it reflects a broader pattern of behaviour that is becoming more visible, more organised, and more emboldened.“Most concerning is the presence of rhetoric that crosses into incitement - language and behaviour that normalises or encourages violence. "While not always acted upon, this escalation in tone represents a significant risk, contributing to an environment in which harm becomes more likely and more socially tolerated.”Wyatt concludes that action needs to be taken now.“The path forward is clear. The evidence is established. The frameworks exist. What remains is the resolve to act.” he wrote,It seems that turning point to expunge racism from every corner of this country, – as Keating asked – is again upon us.Catch up on The Point’s episodes on Racism: The Ugly Side Of Australia and Racism is the New Black on SBS On Demand.