Dr Helen Szoke - Race Discrimination Commissioner - Racism Exists in Australia – Are We Doing Enough to Address It?

Helen Szoke was appointed as Australia’s full time Race Discrimination Commissioner on 5th September 2011 for a five year term.

Up until her appointment, Helen Szoke was the Commissioner with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and worked with the Commission from 2004 until August 2011. During this time, she has been Co-Chair of the Management Committee of Play by the Rules. A unique partnership between the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australian Sports Commission and various other agencies, Play by the Rules is a website which provides information and online learning for community sport and recreation on how to prevent and deal with discrimination, harassment and child abuse for the sport and recreation industry.

Helen has previously held positions relating to management, community development, organizational development and regulation in the education and health sectors.

Helen is currently a Board Member of Multicultural Arts Victoria and a member of the Advisory Committee for the Centre for International Mental Health, School of Population Health University of Melbourne.  

She has held various other Statutory and Directors positions including the Adult Migrant Education Services, National Health and Medical Research Licensing Committee, Consumers Health Forum, the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Key Centre for Women’s Health, Women’s Health Victoria and various community agencies. She also served one term as a local city councillor.

Some of the milestones that have marked Dr Szoke’s time as Commissioner in Victoria, are the introduction of the charter of human rights as well as the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic).

Helen is also a Patron of New Beginnings which is an NGO set up to deal with peaceful conflict resolution with a focus on people of African Descent – It is a new organisation which is a collaboration between Sudanese and non-Sudanese Australians working towards peaceful productive lives through meaningful, sustainable actions that break cycles of conflict.

She is also Patron of the Australian Arabic Women's Foundation Inc, which aims to empower, encourage and support women from Arabic backgrounds to become independent.