Race Discrimination

Examples of the types of complaints we have resolved include:

Race discrimination in recruitment process

A woman complained that she was racially discriminated against by an organisation in a recruitment process. The organisation agreed to participate in conciliation and provided the woman with a written apology for her experience, acknowledging that the recruitment process and the subsequent responses to the concerns she raised could have been handled better. The organisation agreed to provide additional recruitment training and provide senior managers with feedback on her experience and on ways to improve the recruitment process. The organisation also agreed to provide the woman with a financial payment in acknowledgement of her economic loss, hurt, humiliation and distress.

Race discrimination and education

A woman said that her children were being treated unfavourably at school because of their race. The woman said the method of teaching at the school disadvantaged her children's learning experience. The woman said she made an application for an out-of-area enrolment but this was unreasonably declined. The woman sought an appeal of this decision as an outcome to her complaint and the children were subsequently transferred to a new school.

Race discrimination in employment

An Aboriginal man raised a race discrimination complaint against his former employer, stating that during his employment he was subjected to negative comments from colleagues on the basis of his Aboriginal background, that no action was taken by his employer when he raised complaints about this, and that he was subject to disciplinary action for using "Koori English". The man says he was also required to attend an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural awareness program, and that he was the only Indigenous staff member in the course.

The parties agreed to participate in a conciliation process and an agreement was reached to resolve the matter. The employer agreed to make a payment of $50,000 and to inform staff that Indigenous staff had the option to decline cultural awareness training programs or to attend in the company of an Indigenous colleague.

Race discrimination at work

A man alleged he was subjected to racially discriminatory comments of a sexual nature made by colleagues in his workplace. He also alleged victimisation by his workplace when he raised these issues. The matter was resolved in conciliation with the employer agreeing to financial compensation of $7,000.

Race discrimination accessing health services

A woman alleged that a health clinic discriminated against her in the way they spoke to her on the basis of her Aboriginality. The complaint was conciliated with the respondent agreeing to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness training to all clinic staff. The clinic also acknowledged that staff could have been more sensitive in the communication, apologised to the woman for any distress and developed new billing procedures to minimise the potential for future miscommunication.