Kate Tempest: 'There is a damaging and poisonous racism at root in Australia'

British poet delivers passionate speech at Sydney writers’ festival and urges ‘empathy, humility, reparation and change’

There is “a damaging and poisonous racism at root” in Australia, the British poet Kate Tempest has warned.

Tempest delivered her impassioned critique in an opening address for the Sydney writers’ festival. Speaking in front of international headliners, writers’ festival guests and ticket holders, Tempest’s talk took a surprisingly pointed turn towards Australian politics, inequality and racism:

I’ve been out to Australia a few times now. I’ve got family here, and I was here touring in January with my band, and I have to say this. I’m very happy to be here, I’m very honoured to be on this stage, but I have to say this: there is a damaging and poisonous racism at root in this country. And I know that I’m not meant to say it. And the fact that I’m not meant to say it in polite society is even more damaging.

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Don’t clap it. Don’t clap it. Because then it’s that: it’s a good speech at a thing, it gets clapped. It’s not that. This is from the bottom of my fucking pits. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted to say and I have to say it right now, and I’m terrified, because I know you’re not meant to say it. I’m fucking terrified.

That is what I wanted to say; I wanted to bring it into the space and encourage you to just fucking have the conversation with each other. The conversations are being had, I’m sure – I don’t mean to patronise you, I’m not here to blame you, I feel really fucking awkward and weird, but this must be said.

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