Statement from Courage to Care Victoria CEO, Mike Zervos OAM
July 2026
In my role as the Courage to Care Victoria CEO, I will be giving evidence to the Royal Commission, in support of a submission lodged by Courage to Care Australia Ltd calling for sustained federal investment in anti-discrimination education.
The evidence I present will be livestreamed on Thursday 30 July 2026 at 11:30am (AEST) via the Royal Commission website: asc.royalcommission.gov.au.
The evidence will highlight the importance of addressing prejudice and discrimination at the foundational level through education, before harmful attitudes harden. With more than 30 years of experience delivering anti-discrimination education and having reached over 500,000 students across Australia, Courage to Care understands both the challenges facing our communities today and the vital role education plays alongside broader national efforts to strengthen social cohesion.
Read an excerpt of Courage to Care’s submission to the Royal Commission here.
Courage to Care is an independent not-for-profit organisation delivering free antidiscrimination Upstander Programs for primary and secondary schools across Australia. Grounded in universal values of respect, empathy, fairness and active citizenship, its curriculum-aligned Upstander Programs are designed to build resilience against all forms of racism and discrimination across school communities.
During this significant time, we invite you to continue to be Upstanders in your communities, and share the important work Courage to Care does with your networks.
Mike Zervos OAM, CEO Courage to Care Victoria