On September 20th  2024, Media Diversity Australia (MDA) hosted its second industry round table at Nine’s North Sydney offices. The event brought together over 100 media leaders, including CEOs and senior representatives from MDA member organisations including from Nine, ABC, SBS, Seven, AAP, The Guardian, ARE Media, Netflix, Junkee Media, Women’s Agenda and Hachette Publishing to continue discussions around a more sustained path to industry-wide improvement. 

Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, The Hon. Julian Hill MP, delivered the keynote address, emphasising the ongoing lack of diversity in Australian media and the need for urgent change. 

The round table provided a platform for open discussions on key issues such as cultural safety, talent retention, and developing a diverse talent pipeline. A panel moderated by Nine’s Sarah Abo featured AFL’s DEI Executive Tanya Hosch, Nine’s Chief People Officer Vanessa Morley, and MDA CEO Mariam Veiszadeh, exploring the intersection of lived experience and impartiality in media reporting. Key commitments from MDA members included an annual round table to track progress, working group representation, and the adoption of uniform DEI metrics across organisations.  

MDA CEO Mariam Veiszadeh highlighted the importance of collaboration, stating: “Achieving meaningful, lasting change requires collective effort. MDA is here to support both media organisations and diverse candidates in creating culturally safe, inclusive environments.” 

The round table continues MDA’s mission to drive industry-wide change, ensuring Australia’s media landscape reflects its diverse population.