SBS brings together prominent voices to discuss rising social division and seek solutions for a more inclusive country
26 February, 2026
Media releases
Hannah Ferguson, Allegra Spender, Adam Creighton, Lynda Ben-Menashe, Sami Shah, Giridharan Sivaraman, Hana Assafiri, Kirstie Parker and Om Dhungel reflect on how we reached this point, and how we can move forward together
Premiering Wednesday 4 March at 7:30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand
As Australia grapples with increasing polarisation across many issues, how do we forge a path toward a more united and inclusive country? How can we combat increasing division, value difference and diversity, protect free speech and build understanding and respect?
The Social Schism, premiering on SBS and SBS On Demand on Wednesday 4 March at 7:30pm, sees SBS World News presenter Janice Petersen bring together high-profile thought leaders and community voices from across the spectrum, including Hannah Ferguson, Allegra Spender, Adam Creighton, Lynda Ben-Menashe, Sami Shah, Giridharan Sivaraman, Hana Assafiri, Kirstie Parker and Om Dhungel, to examine how we got to this point, and how we can find our way through to strengthen inclusion and connection.
SBS Director of News and Current Affairs Mandi Wicks said: SBS is committed to sharing the stories that define our nation and facilitating conversations that shape our society. As Australia navigates an era of increasing social and political division, The Social Schism brings together leading thinkers and community voices to explore our differences with empathy and honesty, offering a space for reflection and dialogue in the pursuit of a more connected nation.
Hannah Ferguson is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cheek Media Co. She is also the co-host of news and pop culture podcast, Big Small Talk, and has written two books, Bite Back and Taboo. She says the class divide, especially around housing, is a major reason young people are less trusting and engaged. She supports laws around hate speech but says they shouldn't be rushed.
Allegra Spender is a business leader, renewable energy advocate, and independent Federal Member of Parliament for the Wentworth Electorate. Having won the seat at the 2022 federal election, she is one of a number of centrist community independents elected on a platform of action on climate change, economic reform, political integrity, and gender equality. She describes herself as passionate about using her business skills and experience to help others.
Adam Creighton is Chief Economist and Senior Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs. Having started his career at the Reserve Bank of Australia, he has written for The Economist and The Wall Street Journal, as well as The Australian, where he wasEconomics Editor and Washington correspondent. Adam believes that we should halve our current immigration intake, and that immigration is a major factor in wealth inequality and housing issues.
Sami Shah is a writer, comedian, host of the News Weakly podcast, and curator of OzAsia Festival's Weekend of Words. He is an atheist and identifies as a cultural Muslim. Sami says that he is against the government deciding on safe and unsafe voices and is a free speech absolutist. He believes people should have the right to protest and is worried about how hate speech laws will be used.
Giri Sivaraman is Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner, He advocates for racial equality and inclusion and leads anti-racism efforts worldwide. Prior to joining the Commission, he was a Principal Lawyer with Maurice Blackburn and Chair of Multicultural Australia. He believes that the Bondi Beach terrorist attack was racially motivated, and says he thinks education to stop racism should start in schools and workplaces.
Lynda Ben-Menashe is president of the National Council of Jewish Women Australia. She has worked in Australia and Israel in education, publishing, and public diplomacy. For 14 years she served the NSW Jewish community through the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, finishing as its Head of Engagement in 2022. She describes herself as a feminist, a Zionist, an optimist, and a realist.
Hana Assafiri is a Melbourne-based social activist, feminist, author, and owner of the popular Moroccan Soup Bar restaurant. She was born in Australia to a Lebanese family and spent her childhood living in Lebanon. She believes Australia's hate laws will not protect any faith community, including the Jewish community. She says we need to understand each other more and find community.
Kirstie Parker is a Yuwaalaraay woman from northwestern NSW. She has been a director of Reconciliation Australia since 2010, and co-Chair since 2024. Her leadership in community, not-for-profit and government settings spans First Nations rights, representation and advocacy, policy development, journalism and communications, and the arts. She is an independent First Nations consultant and Head of First Nations at South Australian Film Corporation.
Om Dhungel is a Sydney-based community leader who describes himself as passionate about bringing people from different backgrounds together. Born in The Kingdom of Bhutan, he arrived in Australia as a student in 1998 and went on to work as a business analyst at Telstra for ten years. Today he sits on the NSW Police Multicultural Advisory Council, the Blacktown Multicultural Advisory Committee and the board of the Asylum Seeker Centre.
Watch The Social Schism on SBS and SBS On Demand, premiering Wednesday 4 March at 7:30 pm.
The Social Schism is a collaboration between SBS Insightand SBS Examines. It will beavailable to stream on SBS On Demandwith subtitles in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. The Social Schism will also be available to stream on YouTube.
For a pdf of this media release, click here.
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SBS brings together prominent voices to discuss rising social division and seek solutions for a more inclusive country 
