More than 100 journalists call for racial diversity on Melbourne Press Club’s all-white board

More than 100 journalists have signed an open letter calling on the Melbourne Press Club to achieve greater diversity on its 20-seat board, which currently does not feature a person of colour.

The letter, addressed to newly-installed chief executive Cathy Bryson and the chair, notes that two people of colour were approached to run for the board at the last board meeting, but neither were elected.

“There are many models the board could adopt in order to allow for more diversity, including targets or quotas, two things we hope will one day not be required,” reads the letter, signed by the likes of Stan Grant, Jamila Rizvi, The Saturday Paper’s Erik Jensen and ABC Life editor Bhakthi Puvanenthiran, and endorsed by Media Diversity Australia.