Late last year I looked at the world and I got a bit despondent. The American people had spoken and they said “We want an orange buffoon to run the country”. They elected a man who was not only a convicted criminal – but an unrepentant convicted criminal. A self-confessed abuser of women and a hater of paper straws.
At the same time we saw some terrible racist rhetoric in the discussion about the tragedy that is the war in Gaza. We’ve seen a reversion to two genders in America and the forced expulsion of innocent people. And then just in recent weeks, we’ve seen the weaponisation of Welcome to Country AND The Voice for electioneering purposes.
Community Industry Group is an organisation founded on the principles of social justice. We cast a social justice lens over everything we do. A fairness lens. A kindness lens. And I saw it was being a bit neglected in the public lens.
So we decided to host a conversation about social justice. And last week we hosted certified Aussie legend Craig Foster to lead the conversation at a luncheon in Wollongong. That conversation is also available as a free podcast/vodcast as part of our Community Matters series.
Craig grew up in country NSW and had a very white, middle-class existence until he was recruited to the national youth representative soccer team. There he was exposed to a broad range of cultures and backgrounds. As a professional soccer player representing and captaining the Socceroos, Craig travelled the world and learned about diversity and equity.
Craig took his newfound understanding and used his fame for good by becoming a human rights advocate. His high-profile campaigns include rescuing a young Bahraini refugee from a Thai prison and helping many Afghan women and girls to flee the Taliban in 2021, including the Afghan women’s national football team. He also led the successful ‘Game Over’ campaign with Amnesty Australia to free hundreds of refugees trapped in Australia’s offshore detention regime.
As chair of the Players Association, Craig championed equal pay in Australian football. I’m sure the Socceroos are happy that they supported equal pay, as now all sponsorship and prize revenue is shared equally between them and the Matildas!
In the podcast, Craig speaks candidly about the need for systemic change and the courage required to challenge entrenched power structures. He recognises that advocacy is not always easy and reflects that resistance is a natural and expected part of progress.
Craig’s message is that we all have the ability to influence change. He issues a call to action grounded in empowerment and personal responsibility. In the podcast he speaks about his belief that all people are guided by an innate sense of justice. He urges us all to reflect on our own responses to inequality by posing the powerful question: “What would you do?”
Craig’s insights inspire reflection, empathy, and the courage to act – making this episode of the Community Matters podcast essential listening for anyone committed to building a fairer and more inclusive future.
For someone who has achieved so much, he is remarkably humble. I encourage everyone to tune in and be inspired by this Aussie legend.
Listen to Nicky's interview with Craig on YouTube, Spotify or Apple iTunes
About the writer
Nicky Sloan is committed to working to build a fair and inclusive community where all people are valued and enabled to live rewarding lives. She is the CEO of Community Industry Group and has extensive experience across the community services industry. Her diverse work history also includes local government, marketing, the tertiary sector, the finance sector, and owning and running small businesses. She has extensive governance experience and is currently an Independent Non-Executive Director of Warrigal, a substantial not-for-profit specialising in the provision of services for older people and Chair of the Board of Wollongong Conservatorium of Music.
Nicky has degrees in Dementia Care, Community and Environment, Marketing, and Project Management. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an Honorary Fellow of the University of Wollongong.