Bulletin Board

Last updated 12 September 2001, 5 pm

Extracts from selected public submissions to HREOC's Bulletin Board are reproduced below. These submissions represent the opinions of their authors and do not represent the views of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. They are reproduced on this site to stimulate discussion of the themes of the WCAR in Australia and their inclusion on this site does not imply any endorsement by HREOC.

General Comments

What are your thoughts on Racism in Australia?

AUSTRALIA IS BUILT ON RACISM. The behaviours, values and beliefs that Australia has established itself with since federation are fundamentally racist.

- Economically
- Socially
- Spiritually.

I am a second generation Maltese Australian. It has only been in the last ten years that I have been able to claim my cultural heritage. I lost my language as a child due to the illiteracy of the Maltese Migrants allowed to enter Australia (it's hard to start classes for your kids if you cannot write it yourself) and Australia's Assimilation Policy (you can not speak that here!).

I was finally starting to be proud of my country in 1995, with Wik and Al Grasby's policy which was seemingly embraced by the Coalition parties as well (Fraser government). Since 1996 I have become totally ashamed about what we allowing to happen in our own land. Refugees are not illegal immigrants. They are perfectly legal under international law to claim asylum here.

I hope that those of us who do not 'look' so different, 'dress' so different or 'practice our spirituality' so different from what has now come to represent 'Multicultural Australia' remember this: Whatever we allow to be done on this soil to refugees, Aboriginal people, young people, women, those with disabilities and people from NESB, we are complacent. I am so ashamed to be an Australian. In 1995, I used to think of us as mostly just parochial but we are racist. You think about how many people you know who would say, 'those people are so.....but I'm not racist'.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

The value of people in this country is increasingly seen as being related to financial clout and if you don't have a lot of money it is put across that you must sure as hell be envious of those who do. Increasingly, it is my perception, that Race is not an issue when people have money or political power.

I think it is important to discuss different ways that diverse people see the world. I have found that when people, particularly hurt people, are told to shut up and not talk about how they feel they often contain their hurt and repressed grief at a cost to their health. I think it is important for people to validate the thoughts and ways of seeing the world that are different from one's own. I think it helps to watch the woe and dismal people in supermarkets in the poorer suburbs and country towns to understand that promoting what we have in common may be more helpful then constant banter about what horrible people we have as fellow human beings sharing our home turf.

The way that we pass our fellow man in the street can say more about how we feel for each other then words. I have known some people who would never make what would be considered a racist comment and would never break one of the ten commandments whom I and perhaps others could construe as fuelled by ill feelings and malice.

Kathryn Pollard O'Hara, Submission 5

Racial discrimination in Australia is a demographically entrenched reality.

To understand this it is necessary to realise that firstly this "nation" was brought up under the education method of imperial colonisation. The convicts were taught enough skills to be profited from. Up until very recently the standard English attitude (I have heard this voiced on more than one occasion) is "the Aborigine is a defeated race and therefore has no rights" this is the actual root of the tree. The latent effect of this has not greatly disappeared after MABO much more it has been exacerbated. The entrenched English class system was intensified by deregulation of the economy and has become a money based Anglo-American occidental caste system. Immigration has been fundamental in Australia's development (we're all immigrants except the Aboriginal) however immigrants were treated as peregrine socially. This led them to form their own communities for better or for worse - and who can blame them?

Racial Discrimination will not go away until this nation has an education policy for non-discriminatory education altogether. The Education system in Australia is under huge threat by large financial forces whom merely want to continue raping natural resources and place undue pressure on our Education Board. It suits them to have the nation divided by racial intolerance because they can parade the average Australian to the world as an undesirable and continue undermining our living conditions and dictating the status quo.

Whilst these things are occurring the average person is under enormous stress and this is the major cause for racial intolerance, the people are literally devouring each other.

Submission 6

The Justice System

The introduction to the Discussion Paper (page 7) makes mention that racial discrimination "may be direct or indirect, whereby a particular practice, policy or law that is neutral on its face has a differential impact on a particular racial group." This seems to us to be the case in Western Australia as a whole and in the Kimberley specifically in the case of the approaches to the prison system and the sentencing of prisoners.
[...]
Political use of Language
We believe that the attitudes and utterances of the current Federal Government in relation to off-shore refugees and asylum seekers constitute an obscuring of underlying racism and an incitement of the community to racism. Continually using terms such as 'illegal immigrants', 'queue jumpers' and 'thieves' who have stolen the places of those who have been waiting for years to come to Australia under other migration schemes, is patently inaccurate at best and deliberately misleading at worst.
Marcus Einfeld has responded to these claims well when he says:
"Refugees do not form queues, they escape persecution and possibly death or starvation for themselves and their children, they do not fix or regulate the times of their terror…Australia has an obligation to all refugees, not just to some." (Background Briefing, ABC Radio National, June 3, 2001)

Conclusion
This Office believes that the actions of the Australian Federal Government in relation to refugees and asylum seekers and certain aspects of reconciliation with and treatment of indigenous people constitute discriminatory behaviour.
This Office believes that the actions of the Western Australian Government in relation to mandatory sentencing and conduct of prisons constitutes discriminatory behaviour.
We hope that closer public scrutiny of these actions, both at home and overseas, will bring about better education of people of Australia in relation to them and increased local and international pressure to have them changed.
This Office thanks the HREOC for the opportunity to contribute to the discussion on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. We congratulate the Commission on the Discussion Paper it has prepared and for the sponsoring of the community consultations it plans to hold around the nation.

Submission 2, Broome Diocesan Office of Justice, Ecology & Peace
Note: the full text of Submission 2 is available here for download in PDF (67 K) and WORD (52 K) formats

As an Aboriginal Australian I find it offensive that much of the hopelessness of Aboriginal Australians is attributed to the laziness of us, the Aboriginals at "the coal face". Our main problem lies in that our community leaders lose track of the desires of their people as soon as they get elected to ATSIC to represent us.

The issue of Sexual and domestic violence in Aboriginal communities is merely a flow-on effect from the disgraceful misrepresentation of our desires by those who gain election to office to represent us.

Aboriginal Australia will not proceed to a point of self sufficiency - let alone self determination until our "leaders" understand the pragmatic absolute need for us to become financial stakeholders in our country and our future without that stake being held on our behalf by ATSIC under a caveat.

Our elected leaders partying at sports events and conventions at swanky venues will not liberate us from poverty.
The issue of the treatment of our women folk and children is also a matter which takes second billing to the Elected Ones prancing about trying to buy support with ATSIC or other government funds.

The racist views put forward against us are possibly views held by people who have merely had enough of seeing our leaders milking the money tin for their own ends.

It would help the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians immensely if they could see that we (the indigenous communities and individuals) are not ultimately responsible for any of our representatives actions nor activities.

As a Koori I know how much it offends me.

If Government organisations and the press would differentiate between them (the elected ones) and us (the communities and individuals) it would soon become clear to all Australians that we are not them and they do not speak for us at the grass roots.

It would also assist if complaints made to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Police etc... were taken seriously rather than being dismissed as being made by people not capable of understanding the necessity to complain.

Mark McMurtrie, Submission 17

Our Northern Territory anti-racism group PARIAH - People Against Racism In Aboriginal Homelands - www.country-liberal-party.com - has been persecuted by the NT Country Liberal Party incessantly, merely for speaking out against racism here.

The NT Government maintains a democratic facade, using a compliant media and the institutionalised racism of its government depts. Racism is so endemic in Australia, that inquiries have changed little and recommendations are just ignored. Racism is the rule among Australians not the exception.

The CLP and the NT Police are white supremacists who consider Aboriginal people inferior and sympathetic whites no better.

Racism in Australia is growing worse, as an economy based on unsustainability and waste impacts its poorest citizens.

You need not take our word that a culture of white supremacy and secrecy exists in Australia. Just pick up a History book, or ask the East Timorese or the refugees who arrive here...

Mick Lambe, Submission 14

Note: this submission also raised allegations in relation to particular organisations and people in the Northern Territory which have not been included in this forum as they do not relate directly to the issues under discussion.

As a citizen of Australia I am still finding a culture within families of racial behaviour. Ever so subtle but nonetheless present. Small comments shouted out at aboriginals in the streets etc.

We all have to take responsibility to stamp this out.

Submission 19, Graham Wadd

The substance of the response to the14 questions below is that sound education is vital to achieve socialization, imbue self-control and mature responsibility in the control and prevention of racism. However, on its own, education is inadequate. Thanks to human genetic make-up, racism can only be controlled by sound and equitable legislation in every sphere of Government. In all legislation, imbalances in equity occur, this allows some individuals and groups to dominate. This is expressed in various ways, one of which is racism. To reduce racism and other anti-social behaviours to a minimum, each country, including Australia, must examine causes of imbalance and work to balance its own legislation in every Department.

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

Submission 29, Amnesty International Australia

Although Australia prides itself on being a fair and tolerant multicultural society, for many people the experience of living in the 'lucky' country is marred by living with institutional and street racism.

The rise of One Nation, the dismissal of social justice concerns as political correctness and the refusal of political leaders to take a stand on human rights are indicative of a nation that has lost direction in moving toward a just and equal society.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

In addition to responding to the questions put to them, participants [in discussions run by the WA EOC] made various general comments valuable to the discussion of racism. They are:

• Keep racism on the agenda
  
• Multiculturalism needs to celebrated, not undermined
  
• We need to identify our values and help our children to identify theirs
  
• More publicity is needed, at all levels of society, of the consequences of racism, especially regarding workers being exploited
  
• Whenever any group thinks they are better than someone else, we have the foundations for racism
  
• Australia is not outstanding in its racist ways - but we at least voice our desire to be non-racist
  
• Serious attention and priority is required, along with more informed strategies
  
• The structural causes and processes of ethnic inequity and racism need to be addressed
  
• Listen to the aggrieved for possible solutions - stop thinking that government and advisers have all the answers.

Submission 26, WA Equal Opportunity Commission

Theme 1: Sources, causes, form and contemporary manifestations of racism

Question 1

To what extent does racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance exist in Australian society? In what ways do people experience racism? Can you give examples of racism?

There is overt racism that the commission is focused on - eg. inequality before the law.

However, there is often little focus on the covert racism - eg. the lack of inclusion. For instance, how often do you see Aboriginal or ethnically Chinese faces on popular shows such as Neighbours. This lack of inclusion basically sends wide social messages that Aboriginals and ethnically Chinese are not included in the concept of our Australian "society".

This exclusion ensures that the concept of status related to race will continue in perpetuity.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

Skilled Migrants are largely not understood as a skill set. Australia has invited skilled IT, Engineers, Sales and Marketing, Management, nursing and other NESB professionals here but has not created a positive discourse either in the community or business sector.

Indigenous people still do not have control over their economic future, we still as a nation do not trust them to make their own mistakes.

Older migrant communities have forgotten how they were treated and how the stereotypes hurt their chances of success in this country. The worst racist is a NESB one.

The Multicultural Policy has become a dirty word somehow.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

There has always been racism, as you rightly state. However, no proof has ever been forwarded to my knowledge that it is as prevalent as we are led to believe in Australia?

Submission 20, Graeme and Val Wicks

Racism remains institutionalised within the NT education system , despite the obvious good intentions and hard work of large numbers of people who staff this system and try to make it deliver more effectively to its Indigenous students. The racism lies not in the behaviour or motivations of individuals, but in the way the benefits of education are distributed. It will continue whilever the system discriminates, as it currently does, in favour of the non-Aboriginal community and its needs and aspirations, and against the Aboriginal community's needs and its aspirations.

Submission 24, Dr Bob Boughton

A small percentage of Australians actively engage in acts of racism, intolerance, domination and discrimination, from name calling to racially motivated violence. There is a larger percentage which does not act, but is strongly protective of their own particular culture or social group and engage in covert discrimination. The large majority do not condone racism, but do nothing, or are not concerned. A small percentage work actively against discrimination and, there are the many victims of all types of discrimination.
[...]
Racism is evident in, for example -

• Schools, work situations, social situations, politics.
  The need for one person or group to establish social dominance over another occurs in many situations from primary school upwards. Many Australians unknowingly use a patronising approach towards others. Others display mild dominance or rejection techniques in all manner of subtle and not so subtle ways, if not outright bullying and hostility.
• "One-up-manship" and competition is alive and well, in politics, in the work situation, in many social situations, and in schools. Members have reported instances of 'sideways promotion', or no promotion, in which, in some cases, there was evidence of racism.
• Rejection of those who do not conform to established norms, e.g, from 'distancing' to outright exclusion of those whose with "different" standards of manners, cleanliness, physical appearance, speech patterns, language, dress, behaviour, ability, etc.
  
• The disquiet exhibited, from distancing to active rejection, of the Japanese, stemming from their treatment of Australians during WW2, or foreigners, particularly Japanese investors in Australia taking over properties, key positions, etc. People are also becoming more resentful of Americans taking over key positions here.

Many examples have been provided over the years to NCWT [the National Council of Women of Tasmania] of individual's experiences of racism and intolerance, - individuals who have been ignored, patronised, received 'put-downs' moved, etc. The list is continual and endless. Most recently, for example,

• students in the Hmong community experienced a period of 'racism', which has been dealt with by the schools;
  
• bullying is rife in some schools; on five occasions this year parents phoned NCWT for help, in the past it happened more; 'anti' programs are now in place in many schools;
  
• often, experiences of racism against women also appear to be coupled with gender bias; however, more obvious discrimination towards women continues within particular sub-cultures. Many non-migrants feel great anxiety that some migrant cultures are allowed to continue to practice severe gender discrimination, which alienates these women.
  
• there are continuing cases of 'jobs for the boys', the 'glass ceiling' and 'cutting down tall poppies' which also increase the problem for those from other cultures who are rarely completely accepted by those at 'the top', if they are seen as a threat.
  
• Victims often develop a 'victim' attitude and this increases their problem. Members of NCWT are aware of incidents where no bias was intended, or was accidental, but offence was taken.
  
• Where members of a sub-culture have made what seem 'unreasonable' demands on the dominant culture they have isolated themselves more. The task of creating awareness and developing solutions without alienating support demands a fine sense of balance.

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

The federal and state governments racially discriminate between the communities when placing government advertisements in the non-English language newspapers.

I personally was told by a high-ranking official in the NSW Government a few years ago that the government would like to advertise its services in the non-English language newspapers with high circulation figures and readership, therefore while the newspapers of large communities, such as Chinese, Italian, Greek, Arabic, and so on, are informing their readers in their respective languages, the members of the smaller communities would suffer lack of knowledge about many services; from education to health, from police service to social security.

This may not seem as racist discrimination at the first glance but the members of the smaller (in quantity) communities would be left in dark in regard to a number of vital services just because of their background as they happen to belong to smaller communities.
[...]
We believe the governments should not approach the information dissemination issue from a commercial point of view and should distribute information about their services equally to every English and non-English speaking community regardless of their background and size.

Submission 32, Askin Baran

Despite being a country of migrants, racism, prejudice and discrimination continues to be an ever-present reality for refugee young people in Australia.

Young people's experiences of racism:

• I'll be walking in the street and people will stare at me, just because I am black." (15 year old young person of Sudanese background)
  
• "People automatically assume that I can't speak English and speak to me really slowly, just because I wear a hijab." (18 year old young person of Somali background)
  " "I am of East Timorese background, the police automatically think I am a drug dealer when they see me walking in the street. I am sick of being asked for ID." (East Timorese born 21 year old)
  
• "I choose to wear the hijab to cover my hair, you can still see my face.... Last year I was walking down the road in Footscray and a bus full of older people drove past. As the bus passed an older white male yelled out, gesturing an abusive finger, "blackie go back to where you came from!" At first I was stunned as I was just walking in a familiar area and usually feel comfortable in this area. I then began to feel that everyone around me was also looking at me as if I was an alien. I felt like I didn't belong and that I didn't have a right to walk in this area because I was black. Most of my friends have had similar experiences. It's difficult being a young person and being told you don't belong. It made me question whether Australia was really a multicultural society when racial abuse such as this is so common." (18 year old Somali woman)
  
• "As a young Muslim Lebanese woman I wear a hijab that covers my hair, but my face can be seen. It is with a hijab that I approached five fast food stores [for work] only to be turned down despite having good communication skills and work experience.... [A]fter six months of trying to find a job I took up a friend's suggestion to apply for a job without my hijab on. So I applied for another job but this time did not wear a hijab and to my surprise was rung back and offered a job." (18 year old Lebanese woman)

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

Macedonians in Australia are currently exposed to three levels of institutionalised racism.

• As regards the manner in which those who originate from the Republic of Macedonia have their country of birth labelled, namely "FYROM" (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).
  
• The implementation by the Federal Government of an inaccurate and offensive nomenclature directive whereby the nationality of the Macedonian people has been renamed to that of "Slav Macedonian"...
  
• The implementation by the State Government of Victoria of an equally inaccurate and similarly offensive nomenclature directive whereby the language of the Macedonian people was renamed to that of "Macedonian Slavonic"...

Submission 30, Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee

The following tables show the number of race discrimination complaints and racial vilification complaints received [by the Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW for 2001/2000]

Statistics: Complaints of Race Discrimination Ground and Area 2001

2000/2001
Out of a total of 1587 complaints received for all grounds, Race Discrimination complaints (236) and Racial Vilification complaints (52) together represented 18% of all complaints received.

Submission 34, Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW

People from a non-English speaking background (NESB) with disability experience multiple layers of discrimination .... at both an individual and systemic level. Due to the high level of social control that people with disability experience, the discrimination experienced is often institutional.

Research indicates that people with disability from a NESB are often stigmatised and isolated because of attitudes and misconceptions prevalent in their own communities and in the broader community. In respect of the broader community, disadvantage is compounded by discriminatory attitudes towards disability and ethnicity.

Siew-Chin is a young woman of Chinese descent with a physical disability. She is a tertiary student and because of the lack of accessible public transport, she lives on campus. Siew-Chin is the only person from a non-English speaking background with a visible disability living on campus. She has repeatedly been the subject of harassment by some able-bodied students. Her room has been broken into several times, her nametag removed from the door and offensive graffiti alluding to her ethnicity and disability has been scrawled on the door. Some students do not refer to her by name but call her 'crippled nip'.

Mahan and her family came to Australia as refugees from Iran. She is 23 years old and works in a sheltered workshop. She is the only NESB worker in the workshop and is harassed and tormented on a daily basis by her co-workers because she does not speak English. Despite the fact that her work mates have intellectual disability, just like her, she is still singled out and called 'stupid' and 'slow'. Hierarchies exist everywhere, even in the sphere of disability. Mahan aspires to become an actress. It seems her dream will never become a reality because of the hostile environment she is subjected to and the lack of opportunities this presents.

Submission 35, National Ethnic Disability Alliance
Note: the full text of Submission 35 is available by clicking here

It is difficult to accurately measure the true extent of racist victimisation because:

• only limited quantitative and qualitative research has been conducted into the nature and extent of racist victimisation and institutional racism
  
• the strategies adopted by those who are the victims to deal with racism do not necessarily include reporting to any agencies. There is limited external support available anyway even if people did want to report.
  [...]
  In a disenfranchised society people may feel it's no use taking action.

For many people in Australian society racism is part of the everyday experience, being made to feel different is routine and expected, racist abuse is common and is accompanied by physical intimidation and abuse. Dealing with racism is a normal part of life.

This normalised racism is also experienced when people come into contact with government and non-government organisations. This is institutional racism.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

I would like to see the removal of the words 'intolerance' or 'tolerate' from all things to do with human rights. I believe as do most people that to tolerate something is to put up with something or someone. We need to learn to live together in harmony and appreciate each other's differences not tolerate them.

Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance exist at every strata of Australian society eg. individual level, community level and national level.

The only place it would appear to not exist is in very small children. No child is born discriminating: it is learned. That doesn't mean to say that it exists in every individual or every community, just that it is very widespread. As we become more and more multicultural this sort of thing will become more widespread. Different societies and cultures would appear to have different prejudices, beliefs and values.

People experience racism and discrimination in a million different ways both overt and covert.... Because of legislation that may lead to legal action most of the racism and discrimination is now covert.

In a lot of cases people are ignorant of differences or not even really aware they are discriminating because it is so ingrained in their psyche. As an example in a lot of cases teachers and school staff have far lower expectations of Indigenous staff and pupils. In a lot of other cases employers and school staff are very patronising.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

During February and March 2001 the views and experiences of 15 different people were obtained either through their participation in focus group discussions [run by the WA EOC] or through the completion of an open-ended questionnaire. ...

There was unanimous agreement by participants that racism exists within Western Australia. Most participants agreed that the racism is manifested in many ways, ranging from the subtleness of exclusion through to overt name-calling and occurs at many levels. There is also the perception that there has been a shift from old fashioned, blatant racism to the more modern and subtle forms of structural racism. ...

Taunts and slurs and were nominated by all participants as common experiences of overt racism. The covert experience of racism was summarised by one participant as:

exclusion from equitable consideration, engagement and fair access in daily life - from being served in a shop, to being listened to with appropriate, expected and necessary degrees of concern, respect and cooperation.

Participants described many instances of racism that either they had personally experienced or seen other people experience. Some examples are:

• Witnessed Aboriginal people being treated rudely etc.
  
• Importance placed upon language skills when not necessary for position
  
• 'Institutionalised racism' - prisons, schools etc.
  
• My brother does not want to associate with Indians because he gets called a 'curry muncher' at school
  
• Many Sikhs cut their hair and will not wear a turban to work so as to not stand out
  
• Many Indians abbreviate their names at work and use their full names at home and temple
  
• Aboriginal clients treated poorly by medical and nursing staff in hospitals
  
• My New Zealand qualifications not recognised
  
• Job interviewers refer to my NZ twang
  
• People from Malaysia are all thought to be Muslim and this is not the case
  
• Imprisonment rates for indigenous people
  
• Length of time it takes for professionals with overseas qualifications to have them recognised
  
• One of my students is Anglo Indian and she was very hurt to be asked if she could speak English.
  [...]
  [The following table] shows the number of enquiries and complaints on the grounds of race and racial harassment received [by the WA Equal Opportunity Commission].

Issues of race have consistently accounted for approximately ten percent of all enquiries handled by the Commission each year. Substantial proportions of these are telephone enquiries.

The proportion of formal complaints lodged on the grounds of race and racial harassment is much higher (at between twenty-five and thirty percent) over the five-year period [1995-96 to 1999-2000]...

[Examples of complaints conciliated by the WA Equal Opportunity Commission]

Submission 26, WA Equal Opportunity Commission

The cumulative effect of the anti-Muslim propaganda is to de-humanise Muslims in the eyes of the Australian population. One could ask whether there would be more sympathy for and better treatment of refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Australia were it not that many of them, at this current stage of history, are Muslim. The refugees, both illegal and legal, in the eyes of many Australians and international groups, have had their human rights severely violated. If they were white and English speaking, would the welcome be different?

It thus seems to the MWWA [Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT] that there is a clear case of structural racism targeted against Muslims and people from the third world, who do not have the correct papers to be in Australia.

It is common knowledge that the largest group of visa overstayers in Australia come from the United Kingdom, yet they are almost never chased up by the Department of Immigration. They are not imprisoned in detention centres. The implication is apparently that if they are white, English speaking and Christian, then they will blend in with the Australian population, and it won't matter, regardless of justice.

The term "illegals" to describe - mostly dark skinned or Muslim - asylum seekers arriving in Australia without the correct papers is racist (and itself illegal), and encourages the vilification of asylum seekers among the Australian community. The fact remains that it is legal, under the UN and International law, for any person fearing of suffering from persecution to enter any other country by any means possible, in order to seek asylum.

Submission 27, Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT

[During consultations for the Tracking Your Rights package Indigenous people made the following comments to HREOC]

School

• "As a child, I had my fair share of name calling and fights, and suppose became sensitive to racism and discrimination from an early age. In school, I may have done just as well as some of my white peers, but there was always some reason, why I did not win the prize, or was runner-up etc., but until I was a bit older, it didn't occur to me what the reason might be."
• A lot of schools are still reluctant to do Aboriginal Studies in schools because of the sensitive political issues" - Hobart
• If there is a fight between Kooris and Gubbas the Koori kid is often the only one to get suspended or expelled." - Victoria
• Koori kids have to put a lot of energy into fighting racist remarks and it leaves less energy for their study. Kids are so busy fighting the racist remarks that they don't do what they're there to do and that's study and get their education" - Victoria

Adult Education/Universities

• We have a pretty good set up but we still have to operate in an environment where students and teachers are facing racism. Recently, a senior manager from the college contacted the support unit about a series of videos that were being produced to promote the college. They wanted to take some footage of the programs run by the Koori Unit. She said, 'by the way can you please make sure that some of the fairer students aren't in the group'." - Victoria

Employment

• One person said she was working night shift at the bakery, when one of the workers came in with a shot gun and said, "They reckoned they shot all the Abos, but it looks as though they missed one." He then pointed the gun and dry fired." - Riawunna/ Launceston
• "X and y were trained to work in Woolies but once they were trained they were put out the back to work - you couldn't have Aborigines in the front of the shop, having customer contact." - WA

Shops

• I went to buy a car for myself. When I went to the car sales yard I had my work clothes on and my Aboriginal flag pin. The car salesman immediately assumed I was buying the car with money the government had GIVEN me, because I was Aboriginal. He suggested that Australian taxpayers (of which I am one) would be paying for my car." - Penguin
• That shopping centre always watches the Koori kids. If one Koori kid is caught shoplifting all the Koori kids get banned - from the whole shopping centre." - Victoria

Banks

• I approached a bank for a personal loan to buy a car. I have a strong record of stable and long term employment. I am an Aboriginal Development Officer for this organisation. I put this down on the application form. I was refused the loan. I tried a couple of banks and found the same treatment. Eventually I changed the application form to read Community Development Officer and I got the loan no worries." - SA

Housing

• I applied for a flat with three references, as they wanted and I am in full-time work. I was refused the flat. When I asked for a reason I was told that I didn't have to be given a reason. I believe I was refused the flat because I am black." - Southern NSW
• The Real Estate Agent repeatedly asked my referees if I kept a clean house. They didn't want to listen to any other comments. I was told by the Agent that the house was unavailable. I threatened to go to the Equal Opportunity Commission and I persistently argued my case. I was allowed to move in to the house. I was treated appallingly by the Agent when I eventually moved." - WA

Police

• People get booked on the way home for loitering. It is alleged that the police circle two or three Aboriginal people walking home. The police pull them up just to see what they are doing and to do warrant checks." - SA
• An Aboriginal boy was walking with his mate down an alley to get to the hairdresser. A woman in a car pulled out very fast and nearly knocked them over. They yelled out be careful. A local shopkeeper heard the noise and came out. He grabbed the boys by the shirt collar and shook them. The boys yelled back and used abusive language. The shopkeeper called the police. The boys were charged." - WA

Sport

• I was awarded the best and fairest player that day but in the same game I got suspended because I gave in to racist abuse, goading and brutality by standing up for myself and my race. I have been suspended for life and the players that abused me are still playing, and received no punishment. I am a good player and could have made the league, football was all I cared about. I felt good about myself when I played football." - SA

Submission 38, Nerida Blair

The reactions of the government and the people of Australia on the arrival of illegal immigrants seem indicative of the structural racism present in Australia. The recent past Premier of Western Australia, Richard Court, just wanted to send them "straight back to where they came from". The Federal Minister for Immigration, Philip Ruddock, locks them up. The Liberal governments seem to have fostered a climate where the attitudes behind racism, those of rejection, judgment, the maintenance of myths about many "other" population groups in Australia, are also allowed, confirmed, and sometimes even promoted. ...

I cannot believe that an Australian Government condones, even promotes, practices which happily trample on ... International [human rights] Agreements. It seems that racist attitudes, when a government does not sound any protest in a loud, clear, fresh, and different voice, are not just maintained, but condoned and promoted. Australians see themselves as not really caring about what a government does, but it seems that the identification with the views of the government of the day runs deeper in Australia than was foreseen.

Jack H. Smit, Submission 40

Question 2

What are some of the sources, causes and factors that contribute to racism in Australia?

Company directors for not ensuring that company management can be judged by the level of ethnic difference and diversity in the organisation. Directors of non-diverse companies should be worried about management generally.

TV (writers, producers and directors) because of the exclusion of people of color in a positive way (eg. if they do have a Chinese person on tv he speaks with an accent and is a criminal).

Politicians (they do not encourage people of color in politics, nor do they challenge the electorate on racist issues)

Newspapers/media - editors need to consider greater ethnic diversity when depicting an "average Australian".

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

The media are lazy and shallow in the coverage of ethnic groups in Australia.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

The negative portrayal of Indigenous people in the media is the major contributor!!! As well as teachers in the education system and police officers who were brought up in the White Australia policy days.

Also to a certain extent some indigenous people must accept a certain amount of blame for their racist views (which I believe is expected considering the treatment in the past of their parents grandparents etc and themselves certainly) and negative acts of anarchy (blatant acts of violence against the aged and infirm, mindless acts stealing) which reflects badly on the indigenous population as a whole and is exploited to the maximum by the media.

Roderick Pearce, Submission 8

Previous Indigenous affairs in this country, a lack of understanding of the connection between unemployment, drug abuse, crime etc, to life experience, lack of self esteem, limited opportunities - due to racial discrimination. Also a belief that some people still think that certain people are more intelligent than other races. A lack of tolerance towards people with different opinions, beliefs, and interests.

Kim Luckie, Submission 15

When people believed in God and the Bible, they believed that man was created specially by God. He was placed in a position of responsibility over the area in which he lived. [....] Darwin's theory of evolution must squarely take the blame for various tribes and skin colours being considered as sub-human, or part animal, and to be treated as such.

Submission 20, Graeme and Val Wicks

• Ignorance
  
• Jealousy - refugees and migrants blamed for taking jobs
  
• Lack of understanding of the need for government support and vulnerability of refugee communities
  
• Government needs to stop perpetuating images around boat people and queue jumbers and acknowledge them as genuine refugees.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

Racism rarely occurs in isolation. It is most pronounced where skin pigmentation is associated with exploitation, theft of land, theft of natural resources, colonial subjugation, or a combination of two or more of these.
[...]
In Australia, the massive theft of land and massacres of the Aboriginal peoples were accompanied by almost two centuries of misrepresentation of Aboriginal peoples as an "inferior" race, as a "dying race". At the same time genocide of Aboriginal peoples was being committed to "clear" the land for white "settlement"!

Submission 24, Waratah

Racial Discrimination and Disability Services
In NSW, it is estimated that some 3 out of 4 people from a NESB with disability miss out on receiving non-government disability services. In Australia, three out of four people from a NESB with disability miss out on receiving Commonwealth funded disability services. This is in addition to the current unmet need for people with disability in general.

This figure stands despite genuine efforts made by many to redress this appalling situation. This figure points towards the need to seek systemic solutions to a systemic problem that involves the disability services system as a whole.

Many services seem unable to accommodate linguistic and cultural diversity because:

• ethnic communities tend to be overlooked when considering the 'target group'
  
• staff need continual accredited, quality training in cultural difference, diversity and disability, and in particular, the nature and reality of the person's experiences
  
• the disability services system has not adopted even the most basic mechanisms for people from NESB such as the use of interpreters or the publication of material in languages other than English. Poor language skills prevent carers from accessing services so they have less opportunity to develop their personal, social or professional capabilities
  
• there are insufficient strategies and practices to ensure that people from NESB with disability and their families and carers participate in decision-making
  
• the myth of extended family support is still subscribed to by both service providers and funding bodies resulting in fewer services for NESB communities.

Submission 35, National Ethnic Disability Alliance

All racisms have arisen and developed out of unequal power relationships and are maintained by them. The process of social exclusion and discrimination can reinforce the prejudiced beliefs and ideas which inform exclusionary and discriminatory actions. The contemporary manifestation of racisms in Australia is the result of a complex interweaving of historical and current political, economic and social influences. It is impossible to provide a sophisticated analysis in such a short submission as this.

However, it is clear that Australia contemporary racisms are, in part a legacy of colonialism.

Colonial Legacy
Colonial policies depended on the declared scientific principle that the world was made up of distinct and separate species, with each identified racial group having its own 'blood' and 'stock'. The 'races' were placed in a hierarchy of 'civilisation' - with white Europeans, not surprisingly, at the top of the pecking order.

Eugenicists argued that it was important to maintain the purity of the superior races by regulating reproduction, and not allowing intermixing.

These philosophies underpinned the actions of the expanding industrial European empires of the 18th and 19th centuries, in their search for world markets and trade supremacy. They provided the justification for colonising other people's lands, declaring terra nullius, massacres and assimilation, establishing colonial governments and laid the basis of the Anglo-Australian national identity and the ensuing White Australia policy.

For indigenous Australians this has had catastrophic consequences, which are still being dealt with today. The characteristics of colonialism are ever present! ....

Xenophobia and its impact on refugees and asylum seekers
One of the most startling examples of xenophobic, policy and legislative action in the past few years has been the response of politicians in government and opposition, and the media to refugees and asylum seekers.
[...]
The current government have demonised people seeking refuge from persecution and war, people who are principally from Middle Eastern and Asian countries branding them as queue jumpers, and cheats whereas visa overstayers from European countries or North America receive very little attention and are rarely detained.

It appears that as the number people seeking asylum and refugee status have increased the government has sought to scapegoat the very people in need of support. Instead of investing in a program which can deal effectively with early decision making, political attention and capital has been diverted to the detention centre system....

Religious racism
Religious belief has often provided the basis for racist action and sentiment. Anti - Semitism in the form of attacks on synagogues, cemeteries, social centres and pernicious cultural assumptions are ever present in Australian society. However, monolithic assumptions about other religions especially Islam, permeate the media, political pronouncements and popular belief. Islamaphobia as it has been called, labels all followers of Islam as intolerant, anti-Western fanatics. It does not recognise the diversity of Islamic faiths, the range of cultural beliefs within Islam and the ways in which Muslims in Australia combine their religious belief with being part of Australian society.

The media play a major part in the demonisation of Islam. References to Islam and Muslims are often combined with negative labels, such as fanatic, fundamentalist and unAustralian.

Islamaphobia can indirectly shape attitudes to particular groups in society. In Sydney the focus of police, media and political attention on Lebanese young people as problem youth may well be shaped by Islamaphobia despite the fact that the Lebanese community are Christian as well as Muslim. Islamaphobia can also lead to street attacks and verbal abuse directed at Muslims, during the Gulf War physical attacks and harassment against women who wear the veil intensified. Lack of understanding of Islam has led a number of Councils to prohibit the building of mosques, or prevent the change of use of churches to mosques.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

• Religion is often used as a basis for discrimination and it is important that this be highlighted for further discussion in terms of its existence and development of strategies to combat this form of intolerance.
  
• In addition to the argument that race is a social construct, there is a need to consider the recognition of cultural differences as permissible and valuable in order to enjoy, learn about, experience and ultimately, celebrate a variety of cultures. To ignore cultural differences is not beneficial in the promotion of harmony within ethnic diversity.
  […]
  
• The [HREOC] discussion paper could also explore the community expectation of homogeneity in ethnic groups. For example, when Indigenous groups disagree it may be taken to imply a lack of truthfulness or used as an excuse not to support Indigenous issues. Similar expectations have been held in relation to refugee groups, in that they are not expected to express any emotion other than gratitude to their country of asylum. Examples include the changing public attitudes towards the Kosovo refugees and the asylum seekers rioting at the Woomera detention facility.
  
• MAQ would suggest that the word 'acceptance' replace the word 'tolerance', as 'tolerance' implies a patronising allowance of others to exist.

Submission 37, Multicultural Affairs Qld
To read this submission please click here

The first educators of young people are their families and this can be a source of a large amount of racism and discrimination. Young people tend to take on a lot of the beliefs and values of their families, particularly immediate family.

All forms of media play a large role in influencing both negative and positive racism and discrimination for all Australians. ...

Legislation at all levels and laws at all levels also are a large factor in perpetrating ongoing racism and discrimination. A lot of this may be unintentional as they were designed for a different era or are now being interpreted differently.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

A number of participants [in discussions conducted by the WA EOC] suggested that a generational intolerance appears to exist with a measure of ignorance bred through a lack of insight and awareness about where people have come from. This appears to be perpetuated through the culture of families and the community. The following comment was made:
Discriminatory behaviours seem to be learnt from family and family peers.

The example was also given of peoples' perceptions being based on media coverage that persistently portrays the indigenous community in a very negative way.

One participant noted that, with the advent of One Nation, it is perceived to be safe to express racist attitudes.

A few participants particularly commented on the existence of racism being more prevalent and overt in regional areas. For example:
People in Geraldton will cross the road when they see an Aboriginal person coming towards them.

Submission 26, WA Equal Opportunity Commission

[During consultations for the Tracking Your Rights package an Indigenous person made the following comment to HREOC]

"Teachers are ignorant in terms of communication styles with our kids and about cultural differences." - Melbourne

Submission 38, Nerida Blair

In my experience as a Social Worker and Community Work Lecturer, there are certain characteristics which seem to be present amongst those people who seem to always be drawn towards making discriminatory, derogatory, judgmental and prejudicial remarks about Aboriginal people and/or other non-Caucasian ethnic groups in Australian Society.

These characteristics seem related to norms and values, and the way these are held. It seems that a strong conservative set of typical views can combine with lack of cultural-specific background knowledge, and a dose of anger about a migrant group or Indigenous people into a volatile mix of racial slur and innuendo. People who strongly believe that everyone ought to be a "useful, independent and contributory member (a "good" member) of society, who holds a job, a vocation, a profession or a metier, and be an active member of a money-centred economy, may by definition exclude people who do not have a job. It seems that the enslavement to a money-oriented society creates an achievement drive which may, if going in excess, lead to racism against those groups in society, who are NOT primarily partisan to this "enslavement".

Submission 40, Jack H. Smit

Question 3

Is there anything we can learn from past experiences of racism in Australia? If so, what lessons can we draw from our past as we evolve as a diverse society? What are the achievements we need to build on? What are the mistakes we need to learn from?

No exclusion - should be a cultural activist movement so that any show that doesn't have diversity could be attacked, any party without diversity, any company without diversity. Seems to be the only way - a punishment to initiate serious interest, and then recognition for those that are changing (maybe even a government tax benefit for those that are seriously changing or are already good).

De-funding advocacy groups has been a mistake in Australia because it has meant that organisations are dropping further and further behind international standards on a range of change issues - eg. human rights, labor rights and environment. This will disadvantage them in trade terms in the coming years.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

The Multicultural Policy created in Australia is not about the diversity. If Australia closed its doors to all migrants right this very day we would still be a multicultural country. The policy proclaims our RIGHT to diversity. Look at United States of America or Indonesia if you would like to see diversity without rights.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

Shun Darwin's theory of evolution as being the unscientific theory it really is and teach that humans were created, or came to be, equal and that every human being is equally entitled to enjoy their lives in whatever way they see fit providing it is according to the law and the common decency of a civilised society. This doesn't mean we have to force them into our "white" culture. Even whites are unhappy in our "white" culture! We need to recognise that sometimes, people are most contented when they are left alone to get along with their lives, unencumbered by government decisions dreamed up by bureaucrats who have never experienced the contentment of sleeping under the stars and fishing and hunting for their day to day subsistence.

Submission 20, Graeme and Val Wicks

Discussions about education provision in Aboriginal communities rarely touch upon the question of human rights, and yet racial discrimination is at the heart of current problems. In my view, the evidence is overwhelming that the situation in Aboriginal education in the NT today has resulted from a history of denial to Aboriginal peoples of their basic human rights, including their specific rights as Indigenous peoples. This history is not simply 'in the past'. It continues up to the present, and if dramatic changes are not made, will continue into the foreseeable future.

The quickest and surest way to achieve change in this system is for the people most affected to take action to change it themselves, employing the full range of legal and political remedies available nationally and internationally to people whose rights are being denied. This is unlikely to occur unless the immediate and primary focus of those seeking reform is placed not on the schools, or on the children attending or not attending them, but on the parents and community leaders and organisations who have primary responsibility for the welfare and education of their children and young people.

In other words, Aboriginal people and their organisations must become more empowered in relation to the education system before real change will occur in this system. Achieving this requires an approach informed by theories and practices from the field of adult education and development, in particular its work in the area of human rights, indigenous rights, and the right to development.

Submission 24, Dr Bob Boughton

Some mistakes Australia can learn from -

• WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY, TREATMENT OF MIGRANTS AND NEIGHBOURS
  The 1860-80s fear that Asians would 'flood' Australia, lead to the White Australia Policy. It was a 'mistake', but it did reduce fear and tension within Australia, for a long time. That fear has re-turned and is well entrenched. Action needs to be taken to reduce fear and threat by, for example, community consultation and from this, the creation of satisfactory controls on a more effective and obviously fair and migration programme. Recent community tensions re illegal immigrants, have caused a need for urgent nation-wide fora and community input, which is actually taken account of, at both state and nation-wide levels, with a plebiscite or policy development once major areas of agreement have been extrapolated. Also, rather than depending solely on defensive power, more action needs to be taken towards building sound, comfortable relationships with Australia¹s Asian neighbours.
  [...]
  
  
• INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
  Australia has a poor reputation regarding is past relationship and care of its indigenous people, notwithstanding that many mistakes were made with the 'best of intentions'. Some mistakes we can undo and should, but we cannot undo many of the past mistakes. We can take care not to perpetuate them in the future, or make further mistakes. It is important that Australians as a whole, are given the opportunity, via nation-wide fora, state and nation-wide 'think-tanks', and, once the best ideas are elicited, to develop sound policy, along the lines of 'do as you would be done by' and to build good relationships with indigenous peoples. If Australians as a whole, are given the opportunity to develop and take ownership of future policy, there will be the opportunity to act magnanimously and with tolerance and pride, on both sides. Without this, there will be continuing, festering resentment on both sides.
  
  
• Amongst many careful decisions which are needed, the Commonwealth Government needs to make a decision regarding who are the indigenous peoples. The majority of non-aboriginals approve the aboriginal population receiving special (and needed) programs and support mechanisms. However, there will be continuing resentment and acts of racism from some of the community, if such support is given to those with little, or no aboriginal genetic material, who claim aboriginality. This matter cannot be left to the aboriginal community to decide. The nation must decide. Besides special programs for indigenous people, there is a particular need for those who are of less than half aboriginal descent to receive particular, but different support, to meet their considerable needs. This cannot be left in the 'too hard basket' or there will be increasing resentment on both sides.
  [...]
  
  
• LACK OF EDUCATION IN TOLERANCE AND COURTESY
  Over the past 30 years 'individualism' and 'competition' have been key words in education policies for this nation. Everyone has to be socialized to learn to recognise and be responsible for controlling their basic genetic inheritance re greed, anger, envy, etc. and have sufficient practice in how to control these destructive behaviours for the common good. People have to recognise that humans genetic make-up as is the same, regardless of superficial difference, e.g. skin colour, eye shape, gender. No-one is 'better than' another.

• LACK OF ADEQUATE LEGISLATION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION
  In the past there was little legislation to prevent discrimination. That has changed. In all the above, the key to a reduction in racism is sound legislation at every level and in every Department, not only the justice system. In the public debate by student teams, conducted by NCWT during the UN Year of Tolerance (1995), on the topic You Cannot Legislate for Tolerance, it was clear that legislation is essential, and mistakes in legislation in the past have lead to increased intolerance and racism.

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

Need to further acknowledge indigenous people and educate newly arrived migrants and refugees about indigenous Australians being the first Australians.

Programs and discussions that recognise indigenous Australians as the first Australians have also helped refugee young people understand that Anglo-Australians were once also new settlers/migrants. Discussion identifying indigenous Australians as the first Australians also assist in challenging racist issues towards newly arrived refugees and migrants.

"Oh yeah, the first Australians were black" proudly announced by a Sudanese young woman.

Comments like this and making that link with Australia's Black/indigenous history have helped refugee young people feel more accepted in the mainstream community rather than feeling like an outsider/the other.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

As an Indigenous person with very strong ties to the past I believe the mistakes of the past need to be studied to find better and more appropriate ways of doing things. We need to have meaningful discussion, more listening than talking with our elders both Indigenous and non-Indigenous about past events and life experience. ...

We need to take what we are told as the truth and use it as a base to look for solutions without touching it up to make it more user friendly to those it may offend.

The fact that racism and discrimination are now predominantly covert shows a lot of progress has been made. Whether this is because of the fear of legal action or because people are changing is yet to be proved. The 'behind your back' covert stuff is much harder to deal with because in most cases you are not aware of its existence, only its effects.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

All participants [in discussions conducted by the WA EOC] agreed that Australia's history fails to include Aboriginal history and is generally incomplete. The following comments were made:

• It does not include the contribution made by Asians
  
• 99% is missing - everything but politics and sport
  
• We are in danger of rewriting history
  
• Contributions that our non-British ancestors have made are not included
  
• The inglorious bits are missing
  
• The colonisers and dominant culture are celebrated and serious inhumanities are neglected
  
• Abuse of human rights from an indigenous perspective and racist actions that occurred during wars are missing
  
• The Aboriginal perception of colonisation
  
• The colonial and imperial system is made out to be romantic when it was not the case.

Submission 26, WA Equal Opportunity Commission

Australia is striving to find its way out of a very racist past and has made considerable progress since the early 1970s. Those white Australians who reached maturity here before 1970 unfortunately were brought up in a society which taught the unquestioned supremacy of British culture. It was an outlook which justified the occupation of this continent and the seizure of Aboriginal children on the grounds that assimilation was for their own good. Only those Australians brought up since that time have grown into a society in which different cultural values are acceptable and in which what is British is not necessarily what is best for everyone. A continuing education program is needed to maintain the momentum, and to avoid slipping back into a pre-1970s mindset.

There are still improvements to be made however. As members of Australia's Muslim community, around 1% of the population, we feel that we are not treated equally in particular in the press...

Submission 27, Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT

We already have learnt many things from past experience of racism in Australia. Aboriginal people do NOT get beaten up any more. Employees of the Western Australian police force do not go on revenge missions any more. There are better controls in place, and there is a gradual shift of the human paradigm towards inclusiveness. ...

If we look at the work of ANTaR, the Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation, we notice a great flood of non-indigenous people who publicly, openly and actively choose to support Australian indigenous people. There is a Sea of Hands, and this movement was an emotional expression of rights for acceptance in Australian Society of Aboriginal people. Universities, major employers, and Australia's Public Service have Aboriginal Employment Strategies, and the Sea of Hands also stretches out in help on many other levels of social justice.

The dark side of where things are not moving is amongst those who do not join in a new awareness of equity issues and a non-judgmental attitude. The current Liberal Government is an example. It does not matter whether this "old attitude" is expressed towards illegal immigrants or other groups in Australia's society....

What seems to be fundamental then to a true learning from the past, is that we know how to capture a vision of the past, a vision which dares to acknowledge the dark side of our own society, a vision which knows that our own psyche is partial to views derived from that dark side, and a vision which seeks to actively overcompensate that dark side in our approach to groups which are vulnerable to discrimination. Such an overcompensation seeks to say "sorry", seeks to acknowledge instead of hide the "stolen generation", seeks to admit the stupidity of past governments, because it seeks to heal from the "sociosis" which had flooded western society.

Submission 40, Jack H. Smit

Theme 2: Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

Question 4

Who are the victims of racism in Australia? How does racism affect individuals, communities and Australian society in general?

Anyone who is not white, and can't get away with being non-Anglo Saxon, experiences racism in Australia. The level of racism impacts self esteem, perception of self, and thus ability to perform, grow and become as successful as possible. In turn, this means that the community never becomes as successful as it could have become

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

Right now I would say Arabic Australians and Indigenous Australians. Really we are all affected. The way we treat each other will grow this community into the very thing the Minister for Immigration Minister Ruddock is most afraid of: A community divided by factions of disaffected and isolated 'second class citizens'.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

The entire community is effected. "Nationalism is the measles of mankind" - Albert Einstein.

Submission 6

If you live in the township of Murgon and are white, you would say you are the victim as you walk down the streets being called "[expletive]…" by certain Aborigines, knowing that if you retaliate, it's likely you will take the rap over the knuckles in a court of law.

Submission 20, Graeme and Val Wicks

The problem Aboriginal people face in relation to the education system in Central Australia is that the society and economy which this system has primarily been designed to serve has almost no place for up to half the students whom it enrols. These students are currently destined to become an impoverished 'surplus' population, whose needs for housing, infrastructure, health and welfare services, and for minimal levels of administrative oversight and regulation, will maintain a need for skilled non-Aboriginal labour to migrate here form the urban areas in the south and east, thus boosting local demand and helping to drive economic growth which benefits them very little.

The education system contributes to this development process in at least two important ways. Firstly, the education industry is a major employer of the non-Aboriginal professionals who migrate here from the cities, many of whom remain here only for a short while. Secondly, the education system helps legitimate the current and worsening levels of impoverishment within the black population - which makes up the majority of those who will remain permanently in the region - by 'failing' them according to its standards, which are largely determined by the needs of the non-Aboriginal economy and society. This will continue to be the case until such time as the NT adopts other models for its economic and social development, ones which do not treat the Aboriginal population in central Australia as 'surplus', and which do not rely principally on non-Aboriginal labour.

Submission 24, Dr Bob Boughton

Everyone is [a victim], including the very powerful and/or rich. From a patronising attitude to actual violent acts of racism, every Australian is diminished, in the same way as every other belittling act of behaviour diminishes the individual, the group and the nation.

Racism increases tension, mistrust, breakdown of relationships; it increases isolation, hatred and violence - for a very long time. Racism and other forms of 'one-upmanship' destroy each person's, each group's and each community's ability to work co-operatively and think constructively. People are too busy looking for or instituting hurt, to see the good in the other.

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

Many in Australia find themselves the victims of racism or xenophobia - immigrants, foreign workers, and asylum seekers. Yet undoubtedly it is Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders who face racism and racial discrimination more often than any other Australian. Indigenous people still face discrimination in almost every aspect of their lives and are still targeted for a wide range of human rights abuses almost everywhere they live.

The legacy of generations of human rights abuses committed against Aborigines is still apparent in the administration of justice. Aboriginal people are vastly over-presented in both the juvenile justice and criminal justice systems, and are more likely to die in custody than non-Aborigines.

The reasons are disturbing - Aborigines are still suffering economic disadvantage, social disruption and systemic discrimination. This is compounded by the reluctance of the Australian government to confront provincial authorities over their responsibilities for past and present discrimination faced by Aborigines.

Submission 29, Amnesty International Australia

Newly arrived refugees and young people.

The impact of racism cannot be understated even though most young people have been forced to come to terms with it. Racism reinforces young people's feelings of insecurity and discomfort and emphasises the differences between them and "other Australians". Racism can create a feeling of not being a part of the mainstream community and result in young people feeling isolated. Racism can seriously impact on young people's mental health and development.
[...]
Overt racism is obviously damaging, however, more subtle forms of institutionalised racism can be as difficult to cope with, and can exclude refugee young people from exercising their rights to information and participating in the community.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

The Macedonian community finds itself in a particularly unique position as compared to other minorities, as the only ethnic group in contemporary Australia to be the target of INSTITUTIONALISED RACISM at both the State and Federal Government levels. Perhaps the only other recent example of similar state initiated and supported racism was that suffered by the Aboriginal Community.
[...]
The directives [referring to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, "Slav Macedonian" people and the "Macedonian Slavonic" language] have had a detrimental impact upon all members of the Australian Macedonian community. For example, in relation to the language directive, students and teachers involved in Macedonian language programs in [Victorian] State Schools have experienced unprecedented examination and VCE certification problems, the likes of which have never appeared in multicultural education.

In renaming the Macedonian language and ethnicity the Victorian and Australian Governments have marginalised the Australian Macedonian community. This has had an overall demoralising effect on the community and has eroded the foundations upon which multiculturalism has successfully thrived in Australia.

The directives have acted as a psychological trigger for trans-generational trauma within the Macedonian community.

Submission 30, Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee

Migrant teachers, as a special category of skilled migrants are often the brunt of many instances of unsubstantiated prejudgment both as an individual or as a group.... The hostility of such prejudice against migrant teachers can engender, and has as its end-result a positive discrimination against migrant teachers. This is due to actions on the part of a dominant population usually of Anglo-Celtic origin, towards an ethnic group of migrant teachers which can and has caused great human suffering to them.
[...]
Every migrant teacher begins at the bottom rung as a relief teacher. They make progress from temporary, to permanent-on-probation and finally permanent positions. Many migrant teachers [in one recent study] expected to be discriminated against as 30% of them cited racism as a cause for their not being able to find work. 33% of migrant teachers whose qualifications had been recognised were denied the first rung of their career, which made them claimed deliberate discrimination, by the State system. Only 6% of all teachers employed in Western Australia are NESB teachers and out of 39 respondents who had been found acceptable by the state system, only one is in permanent full-time work.

Submission 33, Nicholas Ni Kok Chin

[Examples of race discrimination complaints settled by conciliation by the Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW]

Racial harassment in employment
An Armenian employee of a major multinational corporation claimed that he was subjected to racial harassment at work by senior staff. During his five months of employment, he repeatedly complained to the managing director, but the harassment continued. He further claimed that after complaining about the racist work environment, the alleged harassers started a new campaign by leaving abusive messages on his mobile phone and answering machine at home. He resigned from his position and complained to the Board. The Board wrote to the respondent company with details of his allegations and called a conciliation conference. During the conference, the respondent agreed to pay the complainant a sum of $10,000 in full settlement of the complaint....

Race discrimination in goods and services
The complainant, an Aboriginal woman, alleged that each time she attended a particular store she was followed, and that non-Aboriginal shoppers were not treated in this way. She alleged this occurred on at least three occasions, and on one such occasion, she was wrongly accused of stealing and asked to leave the store.

While making no admission of liability, the respondent provided a written apology to the complainant expressing their sincere regret, and acknowledging that the incidents caused the complainant significant anxiety and embarrassment. The respondent also offered the complainant an ex-gratia amount of $1,000 to settle the matter, which the complainant accepted.

Racial Vilification
The complainant, who had migrated to Australia many years ago complained that his neighbour, the respondent, called him racist names and told him to go back to where he had come from. This took place in the street in front of other neighbours. At the conciliation conference the respondent apologised, and also agreed to write to those other people present to inform them that he had apologised.

Submission 34, Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW

The long term effects of racist victimisation on people's health and wellbeing can be profound. If the racism occurs within the community where people live its effects on women can be more severe than on men who go out to work. Taken-for-granted routine activities can become major tasks involving avoidance of the perpetrators. Simple daily tasks like hanging out the washing and putting the rubbish out become negotiated risk taking events.
[...]
It is clear that there is a need to undertake a more in-depth study of the experience of racism in Australia including non-reporting, the accumulated impact of victimisation, the strategies undertaken by individuals and communities to deal with racism and consequently the means by which government and non-government agencies can respond effectively. We need to work towards a situation where there is no longer a disjunction between the experience of victimisation and the policy response of agencies.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

The HREOC discussion paper recognizes the impact of racism on many levels - personal, community, systemic and organisational and that prejudice and discrimination do not exist solely in relation to ethnicity, but in response to gender, sexuality, disability, age, language and religion. Thus there may be a myriad of obstacles for people to overcome before they can participate meaningfully in the public sphere.

The discussion paper also recognizes the impact and variety of responses people may have to these kinds of racism.

The discussion on impact could also consider or stress some other manifestations or consequences of racism such as:

• domestic and family violence;
  
• exacerbation of or creation of mental health issues; and
  
• exacerbation of or creation of general health issues.

Additionally, the links between racist acts and attitudes and the impact of racism in terms of consequences of action or inaction by the general community, need to be made explicit. Being explicit about the links and consequences will have twofold benefit:

• it will justify the use of public resources, often promulgated by detractors as a 'drain'; and
  
• it provides the public with an opportunity to accept some responsibility for the perpetuation of racism in their community, and an opportunity to become proactive in the fight against racism.

Submission 37, Multicultural Affairs Qld

Personally from my life experience I believe that anyone over the age of 5 is racist or discriminatory in some form, or will be as their life experience grows.

At different stages of our lives we will all be perpetrators or victims of racism or discrimination. We can only continually strive to lessen the impact of our actions on others by lifelong education on this issue. ...

From my experience in the Indigenous education and employment fields I have found that racism and discrimination affects individuals in different ways such as:

• Loss of motivation and self-esteem. In some extreme cases this can result in suicide.
  
• Violent and antisocial behaviour.
  
• Substance and alcohol abuse.
  
• Cutting themselves off from family, friends and community.
  
• Young people often run away from home.
  
• Fear.

In the case of communities it can lead them to be very insular with a mistrust of anything outside that community. It can also lead some communities to become violent and anti-social.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

Participants [in discussions conducted by the WA EOC] identified both narrow and broad groups as being affected by experiences of racism. Every participant nominated Indigenous Australians as targets of racism. The following responses were made to this question:

• People of all ages - non whites, indigenous immigrant and non-English speaking other countries and cultures
  
• Anyone who comes from another country or culture, whether or not English speaking
  
• All races although Whites tend to fair better than coloured peoples
  
• Refugees, migrants, Indigenous Australians overseas students and professionals
  
• Anyone who is not of predominant European heritage
  
• Minority groups
  
• Indigenous then Asians and anyone different to white Caucasian
  
• Everyone to different levels but prominently Indigenous Australians.
  [...]
  There was general agreement that racism has a negative and often lasting impact on its victims. Some of the common effects of racism identified by the participants are:

• Loss of confidence
  
• Hurt, feelings of low self esteem
  
• Anger, confusion, fear, hatred
  
• Highly capable people becoming low achievers
  
• Escapism into substance abuse
  
• Isolation and feelings of alienation
  
• Passing on of distrust to their children
  
• Lack of respect for authority, eg. Aboriginal students respect their teachers but not security guards and police because they feel they are targets.

Participants agreed that the affects of racism depend upon the individual and their circumstances with some victims being crushed by their experiences. The often serious and deep damage can be persistent and very difficult to rehabilitate in a climate of ongoing racism and discrimination that may continue to be experienced on a daily basis.

One participant ... made the point that experiences of racism may, in addition to the direct effect upon the victim, also indirectly affect the people that the victim has influence on.

Submission 26, WA Equal Opportunity Commission

According to discussions the Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT (MMWA) has carried out, Muslims in Canberra feel that we are the victims of a persistent propaganda campaign spreading misinformation and lies about Islam through the western media, both electronic and print. Defamation of Islam is not unlawful, yet it acts to spread xenophobia and fear of Muslims in the Australian community at large. We are stereotyped, all one billion of us worldwide or the approximate 200,000 living in Australia, as being violent and brutal, on the basis of the actions of very few people. This does not happen to the mainstream community. For example, the Anglo-Australian community is not held to be complicit in the murders committed by Martin Bryant, although they share his ethnicity and religion. ...

The examples of the Australian media defaming Muslims are numerous. While each alone may not seem like a major issue, the effect is cumulative and builds up a culture of xenophobia in the Australian community. We shall refer to a few examples...

" The HREOC would be well acquainted with the case in which [ABC television's] "Backberner" defamed Islam with its skit beginning "A is for Allah, B is for Bomb, C is for Clitoridectomy..." in its program of March 2000.... Such a skit can only be based on the most appalling ignorance of Islam, in which both murder and mutilation are forbidden. The consequence of the skit however is to perpetuate this image and to engender race-hatred of Muslims amongst its viewers. It fuels ignorance and injustice and makes Muslims feel persecuted.
" A caller to talkback radio, one of many such examples, in this case to the Radio National Sunday night religious program a couple of years ago, who simply rang to say that he hated the way Muslims treated women, to which the host simply said "yes", and broke to the news. The program's host did not use his ability to cut the comments before they went to air, as he can when defamatory comments are made by callers. The host was himself too ignorant of Islam to point out that the caller's comments were based on ignorance and prejudice. (Muslim women have had the right to run businesses, to own, buy and inherit property in their own right for 1400 years longer than western women. Domestic violence is arguably no more common in the Islamic community than in the rest of the Australian community, and it is forbidden under both Islamic and western law.)
[...]
Media incidents like these, particularly the "Backberner" ones have the same cause and the same effect as racism. These incidents are caused by ignorance and fear of the "other" by irresponsible people within the media who ignore their own journalistic ethics, who do not have the wisdom or tolerance to find out what is true, and who seek to be funny at the expense of people who do not have the privilege of access to popular media. Ultimately the effect is "to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people" in the words of the Racial Discrimination Act. However, because in this case a group of people share a set of beliefs, rather than an ethnicity or language, this is not covered by the Act. Such incidents nevertheless cause division and hatred within the Australian community. It is against the spirit, if not the letter, of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Submission 27, Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT

[During consultations for the Tracking Your Rights package Indigenous people made the following comments to HREOC]

"Kooris think that racism is expected - it has been happening for years. You just put up with it. The onus is always on us to educate ourselves. Why can't we make them educate themselves. … It gets to a point where you just get sick of it. I can understand why people lash out." - Victoria

"Everyday we'd get 100 complaints or so of racism. People will cop it unless it's really blatant stuff. We don't have the time or resources to go stamping out these fires." - Shepparton

"Aboriginal people have to go to extreme lengths to avoid conflict - to be assertive about our rights, this is culturally inappropriate and it is shaming." - NT

Submission 38, Nerida Blair

[Morisset High School collated the following responses to a survey on racism conducted in the school]

The victims:
Those who look different/act differently
The brainy ones/quiet ones/minority groups

Racism results in:
Anger, frustration/humiliation [which] can have a long term impact
Depression, loss of self-esteem, anti-social behaviour, loneliness and absenteeism
[Victims may] dislike and avoid certain classes or particular days at school, leading to partial or whole day truancy.

Submission 39, Morisset High School, NSW

There are of course many population groups who are affected by racism in Australia, and in this submission I do not intend to ignore people with an intellectual disability, a physical disability or a visual disability; I also do not wish to bypass migrants with English as a second language, Australian residents with a non-western religion and/or cultural habits. These are some groups who face discrimination and racist treatment in this country, which all too often forgets that it IS a multicultural society where people from 164 countries and cultures found their homeland. ...

The mandatory sentencing laws in Western Australia and Queensland have now been clearly shown to disadvantage especially young Aboriginal people. ... The pressure of people who act with racist overtones and the pressure of the voters with these attitudes, combined in the Northern Territory with the closed-mindedness of the Territory government to create a form of oppression even the judiciary itself is incensed about. This happens in a would-be State, which houses the largest percentage of Aboriginal people of all the States in Australia. Senator Aden Ridgeway told the United Nations Human Rights Committee in March 2001 that "racism will continue in Australia until mandatory sentencing laws are abolished and a formal apology is given to the stolen generations".

Submission 40, Jack H. Smit

Question 5

Are there additional issues for victims of racism who are also disadvantaged because they are women, youth, gay or lesbian, disabled, members of a religious minority or on some other basis? Do they experience racism as a separate issue or does it compound with and change their experience of being disadvantaged because they are women, gay or lesbian?

My sister is deaf and Eurasian. She found it very difficult to make friends in an Anglo-saxon hearing school. It certainly compounded her problems of isolation and loneliness.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

Disadvantaged groups mentioned above, like refugees do not line up into neat categories. Anyone one who fits into one of these groups as well as being a victim of racism has a 'double disadvantage'. This is a misnomer-it is much worse than double because one compounds the other and only one funded welfare groups or service type can assist you. eg NESB Disability

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

Gay and lesbian people suffer serious discrimination - women suffer covert discrimination - people who discriminate "cannot sleep at night unless they have made someone to fall" - Solomon

Submission 6

Young women are often forced to deal with both race and gender issues.

"I am made to feel ashamed for wearing traditional clothes, such as my hijab." (17 year old woman of Somali background)

Both young women and men often feel forced to choose between two cultures as their home culture is not accepted in mainstream society. Perceived conflict between family and mainstream society can cause identity issues for young people. Being different is not valued in the community and young people feel they must conform.

Muslim young people
Negative perception of Muslim culture as being fanatical can cause identity difficulties for young people.

"I am sick of people thinking that just because I am a Muslim woman I am oppressed." (young woman born in Somalia)

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

Disability and Ethnicity
There is a common myth that for people from a NESB with disability, their disability is the major concern and that being from a NESB does not matter. The reality is that for people from NESB with disability, disability and ethnicity are inter-related.
[...]
For people from a NESB with disability, ethnicity and disability are inseparable factors affecting everyday life. Unless the intersection between ethnicity and disability is recognised and understood, people from a NESB with disability will continue to fall through the gaps of the disability service system.

Equity of Access to Information
Although information provision has been considered for a long time as an important issue by government departments and disability service providers, by and large information about disability, entitlements, rights and service provision has been inaccessible.

The lack of information to the NESB sector has a two-fold consequence:

• people with disability know little about disability, rights and opportunities
  
• families and NESB communities have no knowledge about disability, resulting in stigmatisation and isolation of people with disability and their families.
  [...]

Equity of Access to Disability Services
Equity in accessing and retaining the necessary services has traditionally been identified as the primary area of concern of Access and Equity policies.
[...]

Equity of Access to Service Development
Traditionally, this area has not been considered in discussions about Access and Equity. The main consequence of this lack of consistent planning, service development and monitoring has been that people from NESB with disability are falling through the gaps.

Submission 35, National Ethnic Disability Alliance
To read the submission please click here

It's not only street racism that makes public space difficult for children and young people but the law and the legal system itself.
[...]
Young people from specific cultural backgrounds in the cities are finding it harder to use public space. Research conducted by the Youth Justice Coalition (YJC) and Youth Action Policy Association (YAPA) in 1994 and reported in the publication Nobody Listens found that the police were more likely to target young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and NESB backgrounds. Young people surveyed from Asian families were nearly twice as likely to be searched, four times as likely to be arrested and three times more likely to be injured during their contact with the police. The Anh Hai report Young Asian People's Perceptions and Experiences of Policing, found that the police abuse of power had a wider negative impact on the whole of the Indo Chinese community (Loughman J 2000).

In a further research study conducted jointly by YJC and YAPA, it was found that young people were still experiencing high levels of police interventions especially with the increase in police powers enacted with public safety legislation (Loughman J 2000).

The media contribute to the spiralling of negative images of young people. Recent coverage of Lebanese young people in the Canterbury Bankstown area and the continued stereotyping of young people in Cabramatta encourage fear of young people, and confirm the discriminatory responses from police and other public agencies.

Police, media and politicians use general descriptors and assumptions in dealing with young people, and suspected crime. The association of a particular appearance, age with potential criminality means that many young people are over policed and their communities are dealt with harshly because of assumptions around race, religion and culture (Poynting Scott Kids, Kebabs, Cops and Crime Pluto Press 2000). Asian and Lebanese young people are stigmatised as gang members, and drug dealers and the actions of individuals are reinterpreted in this light.
[...]
Within the legal system stereotypes and assumptions about race and gender can determine how a young person progresses from police contact to detention....

The discrimination that young people face in their dealings with the legal system is exacerbated by the failure of governments to fund comprehensive advocacy services for all young people. Consequently their rights to representation, advice and participation in decision making processes are curtailed. Complaints mechanisms are under utilised by young people despite efforts to encourage their use.... This reluctance to engage in a process to register complaint stems from the belief that nothing will be achieved, and that if the police find out who has made the complaint then the young person will face more harassment....

In another area of children's and young people's lives, education, the same kind of institutional problems exist. The National Children's and Youth Law Centre (NCYLC) has found that the vast majority of its advocacy and casework has arisen from concerns about education especially in relation to bullying, exclusions and suspensions....

In a system which invests a great deal of discretion in the decision making powers of principals, there is room for racism whether direct or indirect to inform practices especially where rules of procedural fairness are very loose and unaccountable. Since only 30% of indigenous children complete their secondary school education compared to 74% of non-indigenous students it is clear that the education system is failing indigenous youth...

Young people not only have to deal with an under funded and subjective education system, lack of autonomous access to income and housing, a media which accentuates stereotyped images of youth but also a legal system which compounds that disadvantage by denying due process, accountability and objectivity. Government and non government organisations need to develop a real rather than rhetorical commitment to children and young people especially those from non-Anglo background backgrounds to advance social justice and promote human rights.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW
To read this submission please click here

Those who suffer more than one level of discrimination are at a multiple level of disadvantage. Coping with one level is hard enough, adding additional levels stretches people's capacity to cope to or beyond breaking point.

Regardless of each problem being a separate issue, after a while to the individual it compounds into one huge issue both physically and mentally. As each issue arises the lines become blurred.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

It is our experience that Equal Employment Opportunity legislation has not succeeded greatly in changing people's attitudes when it comes to employing people of different backgrounds and appearances. Women of different backgrounds feel that they have to be four times better than other job applicants to succeed. We believe there is still employment discrimination because of gender, skin colour, ethnicity, accent, religion and clothing. Many Muslim women, we believe, suffer compound discrimination because of many layers of difference, even though we may be excellently qualified for employment and perfectly competent.

Many Muslims believe that they do not get some jobs, are not promoted, do not get permanency, or full-time work because they are known to be Muslim. It is an act of courage for a Muslim woman to choose to wear the head scarf, as it identifies us as "other" and we risk discrimination. It is common for Muslim women to advise others not to wear a head scarf when going for an interview. Women wearing head scarves are sometimes treated with fear and hostility.

Only last month in a government building in Canberra there was an incident in which a woman refused to enter a lift with a Muslim woman wearing a head scarf. Instead she entered another lift, also going up at the same time. The fact that the Muslim woman was a white, fifth generation Australian, who could pass the "Pauline Hanson" test of "Australianness", and the only difference between the two women was the head scarf, made it obvious that she was discriminating on religious grounds alone. Small incidents like this happen often.

Submission 27, Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT

In a society where values are changing, some values AND value judgments change faster than others. ... Some were more easily accepted by society in general, and amongst those were, in general terms, a sense of greater equality for people with a disability, and the advancement of greater equality for women. ...

Even to people who are part of a new outlook on equity, equal opportunity, anti-racist groups and who have a good understanding of this new outlook, the issue of gay and lesbian acceptance and inclusion may leave things to be desired. The acceptance of these groups may belong to the single biggest shift in norms and values, and this change is certainly not complete in any way, shape or form. Because of the nature of stereotyping, the images people have of gay and lesbian persons are often linked to things like "AIDS", "prostitution", "drug use and /or addiction". It will be a tall order to detach these notions from the stereotypical images.

The notion of complexities of stereotyping is illustrated in a report of one of my students:
"Doing the [Community Services Certificate IV at the TAFE College] was a challenge for me, as being the only indigenous student doing the course I was singled out not for my ability/disability, but because of my culture, many assumptions and innuendo's were made of me, and of course my grades. One woman had the gall the state to me you only get good marks because of my Aboriginality, how wrong she was, and I did not always fare so well as I could have, due to the lack of my own ability to hear as clearly as I would like to."

My student has developed a hearing disability, and did not want to be treated differently because of this disability, and consequently started to hide this quite a bit during classes. She also did not want to be treated differently because she was an Aboriginal woman. Yet even in this "relatively safe" environment, where students start to deal with their own prejudices as part of their training, she was subject to racial discrimination in the classroom.

Submission 40, Jack H. Smit

Theme 3: Measures of prevention, education and protection measures aimed at eradicating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance

Question 6

What are the most important measures that the Government and/or other sectors of society can take to combat racism in Australia? In your opinion, what should be the priority measures to combat racism?

a) Programs/activities in schools?

Programs at schools (to build on the cultural change)

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

During the Perth consultation on June 13th, mention was made of the anti-racism policy which is in place in the Education Department in WA, but never resourced to action.

Has any work been done on anti-racism audits - means by which such policies can be evaluated for effectiveness? The Anglican Social Responsibilities Commission, WA may be interested in finding a post-graduate student who could make designing such an audit a research/thesis topic.

Theo Mackaay, Submission 9

Employment and workplace strategies with the business sector - we are totally wasting our skilled migrants at the present time.

Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

I believe more Aboriginal history and truths should be taught in primary/secondary schools (battles, massacres and instances where indigenous and non indigenous peoples cooperated for the betterment of everyone).

This way the general public will be educated in the truths of how modern Australia came about, and address a lot of the negativity that is associated with indigenous peoples today. I know this may take about 20-30 years to take a positive effect but hey we been waiting for 213 years+ for this to happen another 30 won't be a disappointment.

Coupled with the 1st suggestion prominent indigenous people (including successful career driven indigenous peoples) should be invited to schools and public forums as guest speakers to educate people to the fact that the image the media portrays of indigenous peoples (drunken petrol sniffing car thieves) is not only false but defamatory!!!

Roderick Pearce, Submission 8

[During consultations for the Tracking Your Rights package an Indigenous person made the following comment to HREOC]

"Teachers need to be educated on how to deal with racist conflict." - Victoria

Submission 38, Nerida Blair

[Morisset High School collated the following responses to a survey on racism conducted in the school]

• Keynote speakers should be invited more often to school assemblies. A few minutes per week on a regular basis at regular assemblies.
  
• Rules that are applied, must be seen to be followed through without exception.
  
• Support must be offered and the word of the victim believed even when the offender is lying.
  
• Change views on "dobbing" someone in.
  
• Get tougher with bullies.
  
• Warn people of the consequences of discrimination/racism.
  
• Joint counselling and peer mediation programs are effective on the offender.
  
• Enforce the current system.
  
• Our Aboriginal centre received a great deal of praise for providing activities and just for being there so that everyone is always aware.
  
• Involve a committee of students of all ages and backgrounds and at least one teacher from each faculty group.
  
• Introduce successful schemes from other schools.
  
• That there should be severe consequences for racist behaviour came over strong [in our survey].

Submission 39, Morisset High School, NS

Aboriginal people have long promoted Cross Cultural training programs in companies that employ Australian Indigenous people. These programs are easily adapted, because the underpinning principle, that of role reversal, is easily tailored for any audience. Cross Cultural Training programs have also shown to be effective in other sectors: they have been used in Aged Care, different ethnic groups and for disability service providers in Australia.

Children are easily made enthusiastic when new ideas are presented. School competitions of "best story" can be introductions to the ideas of "best practice" in later life. This work at primary school level is perhaps the most important contribution we can make to the society of the future, to a society which does not have an element of racial or other forms of discrimination.

Local Government in Australia has a longstanding tradition of creating "sister-city" relationships with other countries' Local Government Authority areas. In an analogy of this, schools could start building succinct treaty-type relationships with specific Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal elders and community leaders can be invited for guest teaching and instruction. Aboriginal history, on the condition that the Aboriginal community endorses the stories, can become part of the core curriculum. Libraries and project resource department in schools could be better provided with resources, books, homework project materials, and equipment.

In short, the possibilities are almost endless, provided teachers and school management [are] totally free of racist attitudes, and provided State and Federal Governments actively fund, endorse and promote these possibilities.

Submission 40, Jack H. Smit

b) Public education campaigns?

Public education campaigns (once people's interest is aroused to stimulate and shape debate)

Advocacy funding for activists to create campaigns around encouraging diversity

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

Public education campaigns with teeth. Bring back the Multicultural policy as an act of federal parliament - at least create a positive debate-government needs to lead us out of not feed racism (eg One Nation).

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

[We recommend:]
" that multicultural education programs be designed to include not just differences in food and folk dancing, but also be designed to make Australians aware that differences of beliefs are also acceptable. Adult education programs for the general community and some way of educating journalists and editors in particular would be very helpful. If part of the high school ... curriculum were to include a unit on comparative religions it would be a big step in eliminating the ignorance of young Australians about others' belief systems and help them grow more tolerant.
" ... at some stage the HREOC would consider a poster campaign, promoting the cause that anyone can wear a scarf, and that a scarf is no threat. Photos of the Queen, Mother Theresa, Jackie Onassis and Muslim women wearing scarves might be used to illustrate this.

Submission 27, Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT

Australia makes quite a point of educating the public about issues like breast screening, safe sex in order to prevent AIDS, pap smears and in country areas fire prevention. I see it as any Australian Government's duty to be extremely pro-active in mobilising the community about racism, discrimination issues, unfair dismissal issues, gender inequality and specific public education about what constitutes a breach of the legislation.

A highly successful television advertising campaign was conducted in the latter years of the nineteen nineties under the theme "…don't see my disability, see me…" In these adverts people with an intellectual or physical disability gave a brief summary or snapshot of their lives, and encouraged the viewing public to focus on what they were as human beings rather than how they were pre-determined in terms of their disability.

I have not seen these adds for a considerable time, and it seems that the current government has reduced the funding for these kinds of campaigns, liked by all, so these advertisements are no longer shown.

This example is one of many campaigns which seem to have been supported by the wider public, and this type of community education would urgently need to be revived.

Submission 40, Jack H. Smit

c) Employment and workplace strategies with the business sector?

Skilled Migrants and Social Security - Why are we bringing skilled migrants here and not helping them with direct links to employers and industry? It doesn't matter how many IT professionals you import if the industry outsourced recruitment companies will not employ people with accents it won't work. The two year waiting period [for social security benefits] is completely wrong for this category of high achieving professionals which we have invited here. By the time they are able to access the safety net of social security it is too late. They are demoralised, poor, working the wrong field. We waste so much talent, and continue to keep bringing them in with the idea that they will find their own way around. Australia is not used to skilled migrants. The thinking is all wrong. Pay industry to take a special trainee for skilled migrant program. They only need a local referee and local experience for that long. Change the New Start to pay them for the first year, then if they are not in their field, make them wait. It's the wrong way around.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

d) Other?

Indigenous people in Australia are discriminated against at several levels, socially and economically. The Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils (FECCA) understands true reconciliation as requiring the following :

- a full apology from the Government acknowledging the injustices of the past : the taking of the land from Aboriginal peoples, the massacres and the stolen children;

- the signing of a treaty with the Indigenous peoples guaranteeing their rights;

- a commitment from the Government to redress the social and economic inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people at all levels;

- the abolition of mandatory sentencing in all states and territories because it contributes to the unequal treatment of Indigenous peoples in the legal system and to the high proportion of imprisonment among them.

Annie Van Herck, FECCA Policy Officer, Submission 1

Framework developed with advocacy groups & business to assess companies success in increasing diversity, changing its culture etc

Tax breaks for companies progressing well against an agreed framework

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

Royal Commission into the detention centres, removal of forced imprisonment of legal asylum seekers - NOW.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

Designate an actual Australian citizen's privileges and responsibilities in the Australian constitution - nobody here knows what an Australian actually is! The colour of your skin is immaterial.

Submission 6

A strategic approach to Aboriginal education... should begin with mechanisms for increased Aboriginal control over educational decision-making. Progress on this nationally since 1990 has been extremely patchy, and has not kept pace with the growing proportion of Aboriginal students within the system. This is the case especially in the NT.
[...]
The central point is the need to increase the level of Aboriginal control over educational decision making. This will not be achieved primarily by recruiting Aboriginal people to senior positions within the NT Education department, though that will assist. The real driving force for change must come from outside the Department, from independent Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, whose primary lines of accountability are to their own communities.

Submission 24, Dr Bob Boughton

EMPOWERING VICTIMS

Commonwealth and State Governments could assist those experiencing discrimination, etc. to learn why they are being discriminated against; also to empower victims, so that they can act constructively to reduce the problem. This would entail the establishment of a counselling and training service, accessible to all communities. Some schools in Tasmania have anti-bullying programs which appear to be effective in the school context. The lessons from these could be extrapolated and extended into the wider community.

ENABLING VICTIMS TO EASILY SEEK REDRESS

The advent of Discrimination Commissioners is of some advantage post hoc, provided victims are prepared to come forward. It must be made easier for victims to come forward. Recourse to legal redress has to be available to everyone, without the present constraints. Penalties should be suitable and sufficient to restrain perpetrators. At present they are inadequate.

PREVENTION VIA EDUCATION AND A REWARD SYSTEM

Children not only need to be literate, they also need to be taught the language of tolerance, restraint and real courtesy, also assertiveness without violence.

Taking legal action will not rid our society of the subtle and covert forms of racism - the key to this is education in 'Do as you would be done by' and the establishment of a reward system at the local level for preventive action, nation-wide.

IMPROVED MIGRANT AND NON-MIGRANT EDUCATION

Those from a non-English speaking background, including indigenous persons, need to be taught the English language to an adequate standard to enable them to express themselves comfortably, particularly those who find it difficult to do so, e.g. women from restrictive cultures. Those entering Australia from cultures where rights are restricted, e.g. Muslim men and women, should be taught English to a better standard than has been the case in the past. Migrant women should be taught assertiveness techniques, plus Australian norms, their legal rights and how to access help, and the rights of children as Australian citizens.

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

All governments are obliged under international human rights standards to end racism in all its manifestations. The Australian government must ensure that in no way does Australia promote or tolerate racism. [.…] Amnesty International is urging all governments to adopt national strategies and plans of action to combat all forms of racism and to include specific measures relating to the administration of justice.

Representatives of affected groups, relevant NGOs and experts working on the issue of racism and the administration of justice, as well as relevant officials, should be involved in the process of designing such strategies and plans, which should contain measurable goals and monitoring mechanisms. [....]

The following outlines Amnesty International Australia's recommendations:

• Co-operate fully with relevant international monitoring bodies on the implementation of measures taken against racism.
  [....]
  
• Identify and eliminate all forms of institutionalised racism, that is racism which resides overtly or covertly in policies, procedures, practices and culture of private or public institutions.
  
• Introduce recruitment policies and practices of state agencies that aim to reflect the diversity of our society at all organisational levels.
  
• Programs for the selection, training and monitoring of justice officials involved in the administration of justice should include specific measures to ensure that in the performance of their duties their conduct is not in any way racist or discriminatory, either directly or indirectly. For this purpose cross cultural awareness and anti racism programs should be an essential element in the training of justice officials.
  
• Policing operations should be reviewed to ensure that they are not targeted in a discriminatory fashion.
  [...]
  
• The Australian government must act promptly and decisively to prevent and respond to all forms of racist attacks and threats against the rights and security of asylum seekers and refugees.
  [...]
  
• Governments should ensure that children are protected from racial and other discrimination, including by implementing all the relevant international instruments regulating the treatment of children, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
  
• Governments should initiate and support campaigns aimed at mobilising national public opinion against racism through effective programs in the mass media, publishing activities and research projects. Curricula and teaching methods should be reviewed in order to eliminate prejudices and racist attitudes, and negative stereotyping.
  
• Governments should initiate programs to celebrate and promote cultural and racial diversity.

Submission 29, Amnesty International Australia

The Western Young People's Independent Network advocates for structural policy change, such as the need for greater English language support at schools for newly arrived refugees to ensure that they are able to participate in mainstream education and are not at risk of dropping out of school.
[...]
There have been numerous citings by refugee young people of Horn of African backgrounds of getting into trouble with the police because they don't look at police in the eye when pulled over.

Police need to go beyond seeing "ethnic communities" as problems and racially generalising communities. Greater education for police graduates needs to be undertaken to decrease misunderstanding between young people and police.

• Important to develop anti-racism programs and activities in schools as early intervention and prevention strategies.
  
• Anti-racism public education campaigns using sporting role models have been quite successful in other parts of the world.
  
• Government needs to address negative stereotypes of refugees and migrants and look at educating the mainstream community about Australia's international obligations to accept refugees and the reason refugees are forced to leave their home country.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

First: Legal aid increase - double, triple, quadruple the money available for anti-discrimination and vilification complaints.

Second: Fast access to legal aid - fast access to competent and sympathetic (preferably mainly non-Anglo-Saxon!) lawyers, as well as to Court Tribunals and hearing dates.

Third: Establishing Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Tribunals in every capital and bigger city (like Newcastle, Wollongong, Toowoomba, Cairns, etc.) These tribunals need to have the power to investigate and act on complaints, including orders providing for compensation and publicity.

Fourth: Get not only Governments - Commonwealth, State, Territorial and Local, to contribute more finances to Legal Aid and for compensation to the victims of discrimination - but also the big companies, such as the telcos, banks, insurance companies, the media, the manufacturers and the retailers as well. (Say - 1% of their gross incomes.)

Fifth: the twelve month time limit for lodging complaints of discrimination with HREOC should be removed.

Submission 25, Jordan Georgiev

Equity of Access to Information - Sample Strategies:

• Community education and information campaign to NESB communities to increase awareness about disability issues and the disability service sector.
  
• Facilitation of formal and informal links between ethnic communities, disability service sector and Government departments.
  
• Government departments to effectively monitor contractual arrangements with disability service providers which ensure that service providers comply with Access and Equity principles, produce information in community languages and utilise interpreters as required.
  
• Additional and adequate funding for interpreters and translators.
  
• Peer community education and information for people from NESB with disabilities and their families about disability, rights, services and entitlements.
  
• Development of Access and Equity plan in relation to communication.
  
• Development of concrete and relevant multilingual information and resources about disability, rights, services and entitlements.
  
• Disability awareness training to interpreters and translators.

Equity of Access to Disability Services - Sample Strategies:

• Undertake accredited Access and Equity audit and develop Access and Equity plan.
  
• Staff to access accredited Cultural Competency Training relevant to their area of service provision.
  
• Development of culturally specific service information and disability information in community languages.
  
• Government departments to effectively monitor contractual arrangements with service providers in relation to people from NESB with disability.
  
• Disability service providers have access to a diverse range of ethno-specific workers who act as cultural consultants and who are trained, supported and accredited.
  
• Monitor, evaluate and further research the impact of Access and Equity plans in terms of increasing participation rates of people from NESB.
  
• Continued improvement and development of culturally competent disability service provision.

Equity of Access to Service Development - Sample Strategies:

• Transform identified needs into policy advice and strategies on a state-wide and local level.
  
• Government departments to implement and monitor effective contractual arrangements with service providers which ensure that they meet the diverse needs of their target group and are culturally competent.
  
• Document and promote best practice models.
  
• Government departments and disability service providers to implement consultation outcomes and policy advice.
  
• Conduct further research to identify barriers to people from NESB with disability using services equitably.

Submission 35, National Ethnic Disability Alliance

Federal and State governments, local councils and non government organisations should commit themselves to collect qualitative data on perceptions of fairness and discriminatory treatment in relation to racism and ethnic diversity. The data should be collected from employees and clients of the organisations.

Federal and State governments, local councils and non government organisations should review and improve on the quality of data collected in relation to ethnic and cultural diversity.

A national study of racist victimisation and violence should be implemented to assist in developing a more accurate picture of the extent of street and institutional racism in Australia.
[...]
The mandatory detention policy for asylum seekers should be withdrawn and resources directed into early determination of status and community support services.
[...]
Criminal justice agencies need to develop policies and procedures which eliminate racist practices and counter entrenched attitudes.

Policing strategies should be developed in consultation with all sections of the community including representatives of indigenous and ethnic young men and women.

Principles of good policing practice in relation to ethnic and indigenous youth should be drafted by the State and Territory Attorneys General in consultation with their respective police services.

Police services should record their use of street offence and public disorder powers in relation to indigenous and ethnic and cultural status of young offenders. This information should be publicly available and open to analysis by independent researchers as well as the police service to examine current practices and to develop future policies and procedures.

Schools and colleges should monitor how their policies are enforced in practice. Data that they collect on exclusions and suspensions should be used to develop appropriate support for indigenous young people.

School policies on bullying should specifically address the problems of racist bullying.
[...]

The first major task is to end the colonial relationship between Australia and indigenous Australians. Moves must be taken to broker an agreement that satisfies the demands of indigenous communities for resolution and reconciliation whether it be a reparation tribunal, or a treaty.

The following provides examples of other actions that governments could take to counter racism.

• Talk about racism as a human rights issue
  Federal, State and local councils need to be courageous and principled and talk about combating racism as a human rights priority. Public leaders, as they have done in discussing reconciliation, should take the initiative in condemning racism and offering proposals on the ways to combat racism. Politicians should refrain from playing race cards to court populist support.
  
  
• Adopt positive action
  In the UK, amendments to the Race Relations Act 1976 impose a general duty on designated public authorities in carrying out their responsibilities 'to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination and to promote race equality and good race relations' (Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000). The Commission for Racial Equality will have the power to monitor public bodies, issue codes of practice and issue compliance notices to public bodies to ensure that they carry out their specific duties.

  The Federal and State governments should consider introducing an amendment to current discrimination legislation in Australia to require public bodies to take positive action outlined above.
  [...]

• Working in partnership
  Work in partnership with local councils, community organisations and communities to combat racism. Community safety initiatives, housing projects can provide the means to undertake joint ventures
  
  
• Staffing
  Those who administer and deliver public services are overwhelmingly from Anglo-Australian backgrounds. This is particularly so in the criminal justice and legal systems, where judges, magistrates, legal officers and police tend to be from the one dominant cultural background.

  Federal and State governments, local councils and non government organisations should seek to employ staff from a greater diversity of backgrounds. In order to achieve this they should set recruitment goals.

• Complaints systems
  Public authorities should provide effective grievance and complaints procedures as a means of combating institutional racisms. These procedures should be seen to be open and independent and quick to respond.
• There should be a range of alternative resolution options for dealing with complaints which should match the seriousness of the complaints.
  
  These should range from conciliation and disciplinary action to dismissal and prosecution where appropriate.
  
  
• Provide cultural awareness and anti-racism training
  Cultural awareness and anti-racism training should be introduced as part of staff development and training packages. This training should examine all aspect of racisms in practice in the workplace including how to work with customers from different backgrounds
  
  
• Incorporating human rights law, standards and policies into domestic law
  Federal and State governments need to honour their international human rights obligations by fully incorporating international human rights legislation, instruments and standards into domestic legislation thus providing both domestic and international remedies for human rights abuses in this country. This could take the form of a domestic Human Rights Act.
  [...]

What the media can do

• The media play a significant role in affecting opinion and provide many of the images and stereotypes people use to understand current events. The Australian Broadcasting Association, the Media Entertainment Alliance Association and other interested groups should establish codes of practice on how the media should report matters relating to indigenous, ethnic, refugee, and religious communities in particular paying attention to stereotyping and deliberately hostile reporting.
• Appoint a designated person within each organisation for developing expertise on matters relating to racism in general.

Individuals

• People prominent in public life whether nationally, locally or within specific organisations have an important contribution to make to the general climate of public opinion. This is not only from their official statements but also from off the cuff remarks or casual references. These community leaders should use all opportunities to speak out against racism and xenophobia and the damaging effects it has on the lives of Australians.

At work and in their communities individuals can engage in anti-racist practice by challenging stereotypical assumptions, racist remarks and preventing violence.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

The HREOC discussion paper mentions legislative and policy mechanisms within Australia, and the international obligations Australia has as a member of the various bodies of the United Nations (UN), as means for the prohibition of racial discrimination. Reliance on national and international government policies and legislation is to ignore more immediate ways of engaging with the community to challenge racist beliefs. For instance, local partnerships between City Councils and non-government organisations, community groups, or geographically-focused communities, provide a means of tailoring government responses to particular issues and needs identified at a grassroots level; and are an opportunity to gain valuable input and feedback which informs future prevention, education and protection measures.

The discussion paper does mention non-government organisations, youth, business, trade unions, arts, sports, and civil society, yet does not go on to discuss the strategic importance of engaging with these groups and institutions to deliver what lies outside of government boundaries. The focus, flexibility and networks of these groups and the local knowledge and experience of their workers, can be supported by all levels of government in the development and delivery of strategies to combat racism.

Focusing on other strategies ties in with the role of education, both formal and informal methods. The use of art, music, storytelling, dance, festivals, reconciliation groups etc are informal methods of education, but are all valuable and grassroots ways of challenging public attitudes and engaging the community in valuing and appreciating cultural diversity.

Supporting equal employment opportunities and access and equity initiatives to improve representation of women or people from non-English speaking backgrounds or Indigenous people in the public sphere is another key way to encourage participation and educate people about the benefits of productive diversity.

In terms of formal education, there is evidence that many schools, whether state, independent, primary, secondary or special, are implementing multicultural policies in their curriculums, and that these have been successful in enabling students to participate positively in Australia's multicultural society.

Submission 37, Multicultural Affairs Qld

The first responsibility lies with the individual and in the case of very small children with their families who are the first educators.... Individuals, communities, governments need to take responsibility for themselves and their area of influence to eliminate as much as possible racist and discriminatory dialogue, actions and practices. ...

Beside individual action some measures that can be taken to combat racism and discrimination are:

• An audit of all current Australian laws, legislation and practices to eliminate all those that are either overtly, covertly or left to interpretation that may cause racist or discriminatory practices.
  
• Cross cultural awareness training for all those involved in education/employment in government and private sectors.
  
• Local community organisations to invite a cross section of other organisations to various functions where cultures and differences can be shared eg. Indigenous organisation to host disabled, gay and lesbian groups, etc.
  
• School curriculums to be heavily influenced by human rights issues.
  
• All forms of media to be required to have a quota of good news stories about disadvantaged groups.
  
• Schools to host regular multicultural events and also invite people from groups such as the disabled and older citizens' groups.
  
• All workplaces, both government and private sector, [to] have workplace strategies [in place] to combat racism and discrimination and the effectiveness of these [to] be tied to Senior Management's performance agreements, including school principals, Deans, etc.
  
• Parental education.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

The acknowledgement of the existence of racism is seen to be significant by participants [in discussions conducted by the WA EOC]. They noted that we seem to be in a climate where racism is being talked about, stereotypes questioned and assumptions challenged. Specifically, participants identified awareness of the following measures to address racism:

• Education
  
• Cross cultural awareness courses
  
• Laws against racial hatred and discrimination
  
• Help with language
  
• Migrant assistance programs
  
• Research and educational programs at university level addressing issues with Indigenous Australians
  
• Government and community initiatives including Reconciliation and Co existence movements
  
• Responsible media policies and practices setting an example eg. existence of SBS
  
• Social pressures to be politically correct.

All participants agree that the measures currently being taken to address racism are inadequate, and in fact racism seems to be getting worse for many groups. Education was identified as being a critical requirement to reducing levels of racism. The education needs to be from an early age and target all members of the population from school children through to adults.

The aim should be to alter the fundamental beliefs of people to remove the reasons for racism. ...

Participants unanimously agree that every one in the community has a responsibility for combating racism. Including:

• Government
  
• Schools
  
• Religious organisations
  
• Employers
  
• Sporting bodies
  
• Youth organisations.

The media was also identified by a number of participants as having an important responsibility. In particular, television was seen to be a powerful tool to target young people. ... Many participants also nominated parents and families as major bearers of responsibility for combating racism.

Submission 26, WA Equal Opportunity Commission

[I]t seems that an Australian Government itself needs to be totally and actively committed to ensure that employers, whether this be the Australian Public Service or the private sector - as well as all other stakeholders (including the Government itself) - are tangibly committed to implementing and enforcing:

• Equal Opportunity Legislation
  
• Anti-Discrimination Legislation
  
• Equal employment opportunity legislation
  
• Unfair dismissal laws
  
• Counselling and guidance programs for non-English speaking migrants
  
• Availability of migrant language programs
  
• Availability of advanced and ongoing migrant language programs
  
• Availability of translator and interpreter services
  
• Availability of help understanding and interpreting the laws in Australia, also in other languages
  
• Availability of culturally appropriate access, also in other languages, or proper recourse in legal matters and matters of breach of the equity legislation
  
• Free and culturally appropriate training in dealing with the law, with arrests, with police abuse for those groups who are most likely to encounter these situations (such as Aboriginal young people, people with non-western backgrounds, youth-at-risk from ethnic backgrounds)

Measurable outcomes in implementing these and other equity legislation, in terms of employee welfare, treatment, pay, services in the community, career advancement in the workplace, retention of staff in the workplace, review of employee welfare, measurable accountability in dismissals and lay-offs are extremely important.

Active outreach is needed in all population groups who have already been identified in Australia as those most in need of training, support, and assistance, in understanding their rights under the legislation which seeks to eliminate discrimination and racial treatment. Up till today it is intimidating for someone who has their freedom from discrimination compromised, to complain or speak out, or to resort to the laws for recourse and redress of the compromise.

Submission 40, Jack H. Smit

Question 7

Can you give some examples of effective programs to challenge racism (e.g. in the media, education, law, business, arts, sport or other areas)?

No, I don't think the target audience (the typical anglo-saxon Australian) understand how racism feels nor its impact. Until then, no campaign will be successful. I think the drink driving ads in Victoria have changed public opinion about behaviour, by getting you to imagine what would happen if you killed your loved one. Same could be applied to racism - put yourself in their shoes and see how it feels. Jane Elliott does this exceedingly well.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

1. The Specialist Migrant Placement Program which is funded by the NSW government. But currently it is severely underfunded. The skilled migration category has been raised in numbers over the last several years, but the funding levels have not.

2. NSW Health Promotions did a Youth Tribes Health project a few years ago to combat youth suicide and racism (amongst youth groups) but unfortunately the federal government would not clear the pressing of CDs of music that the young people worked for a over 18 months on because they didn't like what they heard. It was very disappointing for both the project staff and the young people.

3. The Local Government Multicultural festivals that were funded for $30,000 each around Sydney in the lead up to the Olympics were effective. I attended the Lakemba festival with my work and was pleased to see the white middle class step out to beautiful, community minded Lakemba one sunny September afternoon.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

1. A combined united arts programme by the Following; Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Esoteric/spiritual and Aborigines.

2.An environmental project-cross cultural.

3. A media prize and a government grant for the above.

Submission 6

• The establishment of the [Tasmanian] Anti-discrimination Commission;
  
• The anti-bullying campaigns run in schools;
  
• Assertiveness training undertaken by many different organisations;
  
• Language training courses; public speaking training undertaken by Rostrum Australia Inc. and other education groups;
  
• Public education conducted and actual expression of tolerance practised by many non-government community groups; e.g. Guiding and Scouting; Women¹s International League for Peace & Friendship; International and National Councils of Women; Business & Professional Women and similar groups; various religious groups; multicultural groups, etc.

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

WYPIN [Western Young People's Independent Network] continues to use a performance titled "Time & Space" to raise awareness in the mainstream community about why refugees come to Australia and how racism impacts on them. Particularly interesting performances have been given to all Anglo-Australian audiences in country Victoria.

In more recent programs WYPIN has worked with schools using popular music and art to explore issues of identity and tolerance.

Programs and discussions that recognise indigenous Australians as the first Australians have also helped refugee young people understand that Anglo-Australians were once also new settlers/migrants and assists young refugees overcome racism and feel a part of the mainstream society.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

What NSW community legal centres do
The following provides a brief overview of the positive ways that a non-government network has attempted to move forward on racism and related issues.

• Conducted research on gaps in legal services and legal needs, and planned and sought funding for legal services on the basis of the research.

  The Women Out West project conducted by Women's Legal Resources Centre in Sydney and the Quarter Way to Equal Report are prime examples of the kind of work undertaken by CLCs. The first, sought to examine the access or otherwise of indigenous women to legal advice and information. ... From this the extent of the need for access to legal advice and information was realised and the WLRC in conjunction with indigenous women's groups campaigned for funding for legal services and education programs. There are now services which cater in full or part for indigenous women's legal needs. The second examines ways in which women, especially women from NESB backgrounds used legal services, and the barriers they faced in doing so. The findings from this formed the basis of community and government policies and procedures.

• Responding to casework and inquiries
  Where legal centres have found that there are demands or needs in casework they have responded to them by providing casework input, resources for advocacy, or specific legal services. This can include establishing specific legal services for different groups of people, a dedicated worker or providing services on particular areas of law, or targeting resources appropriately. Recently the National Children's and Youth Law Centre has sought and received funding for an indigenous solicitor to advocate on behalf of indigenous youth.
  

• Test Cases
  Legal Centres have run major test cases in discrimination matters on the basis of public interest. Kingsford Legal Centre ran the Joy Williams case, Marrickville Legal Centre and Women's Legal Resources Centre are considering action in relation to discrimination against indigenous young people in Moree.
  [...]
  
  
• Indigenous access and equity review and planning
  Legal Centres in the inner city area of Sydney found through their review of legal needs that indigenous people were losing out in their access to legal services. In order to ensure that services were accessible and effective advocates for indigenous communities, they have committed themselves to racism awareness training, and reviews of service delivery, management and planning to ensure that they deal with systemic racism.
  [...]
  
  
• Providing community legal education
  By informing communities of their rights and how they can seek legal and social justice, community legal centres can provide individuals and communities with the means to participate in society and take action to redress inequities.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

MAQ's response to combating racism is best characterised as an holistic and preventative approach. Essentially, MAQ aims to be proactive in promoting positive community relations rather than simply reacting to racist incidents as they occur. Nonetheless, MAQ recognizes the need for targeted anti-racism strategies as appropriate.

The key vehicles for MAQ's promotion of positive community relations and management of cultural diversity are:

The Community Relations Plan which recognizes:

• that some communities and individuals are "vulnerable to discrimination and prejudice";
  
• the geographical impact on community relations;
  
• the impact of globalisation and the fluctuating job market;
  
• the role of government in fostering community relations; and the impact of the process of reconciliation with Indigenous Australians.
  [...]

The Local Area Multicultural Partnership (LAMP). Under the LAMP program, workers have been placed in 14 local governments to develop local community relations plans.... Strategies used by workers include:

• undertaking needs analysis research, such as community profiles;
  
• development and facilitation of plans to address identified needs;
  
• linking needs of diverse groups in the local area to existing appropriate services;
  
• advocacy where appropriate; and
  
• participation in a local area reference group with local area expertise, as established by the Council.

Multicultural Assistance Program (MAP) is a grants program which provides one-off grants to promote multiculturalism in Queensland. Funding is provided for community development and initiatives, community relations projects and festivals....

Other strategies used by MAQ include:

• cross-cultural training for public servants and others;
  
• initiating awards programs to recognize and reward individuals, organisations and schools for their efforts in promoting harmony and multiculturalism; and
  
• conducting research to inform policy development, and to ensure workers are well informed on local, state, national and international issues and current responses.

Submission 37, Multicultural Affairs Qld

To be truthful I cannot really think of one program that is effectively combating racism and discrimination. There has been a lot of legislation and laws enacted to prosecute people but very little in the way of effective attitude changing education programs. This has served to make racism and discrimination more covert and harder to deal with.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

Question 8

How can the Internet be used as a more effective tool against racism?

Promoting stories of racism, and successes in the face of it and a world enriched without it.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

RACISM IN THE MEDIA IN AUSTRALIA - I would be willing to participate in [a media monitoring organisation] right now for the terrible racism that is currently in the press in this country. If I hear or read one more time that the current round of asylum seekers are 'illegal immigrants' I will scream. I am sure there would be others who would be also willing to do this.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

Create a web site that will be attractive to kids and give prizes for multicultural/sustainable development.

Submission 6

The Internet can only be a more effective tool against racism if there are strict and automatic UN sanctions or penalties (via a World Court decision) against any country which permits discriminatory messages on Websites originating in that country.

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

• Use of Internet for public education campaigns.
  
• Linking victims in different places.
  
• Use of Internet as a positive example of globalisation and diversity.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

MAQ supports the Internet as a useful tool in information dissemination and facilitating group activity. However, the Internet must be used in conjunction with other forms of information dissemination, as the Internet is limited in terms of access and inability to verify all information posted upon it. Access may be limited by language, poverty, lack of education, age (the elderly may be more resistant to using computers), homelessness etc.

Submission 37, Multicultural Affairs Qld

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

Question 9

How well do you think we acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of minority groups and Indigenous peoples to our society?

Not well enough. In the USA some companies (eg. Pepsi Cola) are even giving a preference to companies headed up by minority women. I think this is a wonderful initiative to ensure that the contributions of minority and indigenous groups don't just stay in the public sector, but are welcomed into the corporate sector. Another great step would be governments seeking out contributions of minority groups and indigenous groups for recognition.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

Not very well. Particularly since the current federal government has been in office in Canberra. The current Labor Party is completely lame. When I saw the Shadow minister on the TV a few nights ago saying what criminals these escapees are from Woomera I thought - that is it, we have completely lost our Opposition.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

No where near enough.

Submission 6

Not very well at all when you consider that there would not be a space program if it wasn't for our indigenous ancestors creating the science of aerodynamics yes that's right the space shuttle (all other flying craft with wings included) would never have existed if it wasn't for the boomerang.
Also on a lesser scale or more large, depends, if it wasn't for indigenous help all the early invaders would have perished along with their dreams and aspirations!!!!

Roderick Pearce, Submission 8

Show more role models regularly, tackle racist issues in main stream media.

Kim Luckie, Submission 15

There are many opportunities for the celebration of the contribution of minority groups and indigenous peoples. This is good, but, if there are too many, they become meaningless.

Everyone and every group wants acknowledgement of their own contribution to a society. It is good to be able to acknowledge the contribution of groups which have not been recognised, the community generally applauds that. However, many people are tired of hearing how much migrants and indigenous people have contributed to Australia. It is like charitable organisations too frequently forwarding unsolicited requests for donations. If there is too much emphasis on any particular group, it becomes out of balance and offensive to other groups. Tolerance requires tact and a fine and careful balance.

The important thing to overcome first, is the exclusion of any group or any person. This must start with Australian children. Many of them, as they grow towards adulthood, are excluded from being part of the adult society. There is a need for the community to identify ways in which children are excluded and then action taken to redress the problems.

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

Need to go beyond acknowledging indigenous people and minority groups as sporting heroes and [sources of] multicultural food. The role of migrants and their contribution to Australia's economic and social development needs to be better acknowledged. Refugee Week needs to become a bigger community event. Possibility of a public holiday that acknowledges Australia's diversity and indigenous history.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

One of the key characteristics of racism is the way it builds on a particular image of nation that bears only a partial relation to its history as well as its contemporary characteristics, but which works as a rallying call to justify exclusive and discriminatory practices [such as political and media responses to asylum seekers].

In Australia, the Ozzie bloke, the battler, the sports hero, the lifesaver, the digger, mateship help to sustain the image of the laconic, strong, Anglo male as the Australian national identity. An image which is in fact based on a very partial truth.

Australian society has been built around one of the oldest indigenous civilisations in the world, with a migrant population derived from the sons and daughters of felons, peasants, industrial workers, professionals from all over the world, Muslim, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, humanists and atheists who live predominantly in urban areas in the Asia Pacific region. Each of whom is playing a role in the current and future economic, political and social structures and in reforming national identity,

It takes a strong political will and social commitment to rebuild the image of a nation which incorporates the dynamic mix of the multicultural Australia which reflects the reality of the population's existence - a community of communities.

Australia needs to commit itself to working towards a national identity that more accurately reflects its historical and contemporary identity

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

There is very little if any acknowledgement of the contributions made by Indigenous people and minority groups to this country. If they do exist, such as NAIDOC Day, they are poorly publicised and marketed and are generally one off's or only celebrated sporadically or in particular communities.

There are 365 days in the year and only few minority groups, so why not a day for each? Not National holidays but national acknowledgement of each group. There needs to be positive publicity campaigns leading up to these days in all media. The Government both state and federal needs to take responsibility for this.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

[During consultations for the Tracking Your Rights package Indigenous people made the following comments to HREOC]

"Aboriginal children aren't taught about their history before white settlement in school. They believe white lies but won't believe black truths." - Lismore

"There is no recognition in the town of the part that Aboriginal people played in its history." - WA

Submission 38, Nerida Blair

Theme 4: Provision of effective remedies, recourses, redress, and other measures at the national, regional and international levels

Question 10

How adequate are the laws dealing with racism and racial discrimination in Australia? Can you give examples?

I believe the laws are only upheld if a culture believes they are important. Equal Opportunity Laws have not been effective because they aren't given cultural sanction to ensure change. If they had been then, when we failed get results, we would have ensured the laws could get tougher eg. they fought systemic discrimination and they got higher sanctions. HREOC legislations needs to more closely follow the international convention - since its powers are very limited in Australia.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

Inadequate - The Mandatory Sentencing (Compulsory Goaling) Laws in Western Aust. and Northern Territory are racist against Indigenous young people. These are some of the most vulnerable groups in the society. Why doesn't the High Court Judges or some of [the] judiciary take the Federal Government to court, instead we are goaling 15-16 year old petrol sniffers for stealing the petrol?? It is madness.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

The fact is that people's hearts cannot be legislated.

Submission 6

They can't be adequate or effective if racism still exists. Freedom of speech will win out all the time.

Roderick Pearce, Submission 8

They are not - there are some extremely racist laws in this country, specifically targeted at Indigenous people. Northern Territory - three strikes and you are out, removing kids off the street after dark.

Kim Luckie, Submission 15

• Current Racial Vilification Legislation does not have adequate criminal sanctions to give power and significance to [the struggle against] race hate speech.
  
• Lack of knowledge about racial vilification laws and ways of recourse in minority communities. Need for more education around the RDA [Racial Discrimination Act 1975].
  
• The current RDA can be over ridden by other acts, there is consequently a need to see racial discrimination addressed through the Australian constitution.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

People with disability from a NESB can be reluctant to lodge complaints [under the Racial Discrimination Act] because of:

• the complexity of the process involved
  
• fear of reprisal
  
• the associated costs
  
• the adversarial nature of making complaints
  
• the burden of proof that rests on the complainant.

The Act encompasses an individual complaints based model, though there are allowances for representative complaints. This means that the act has little capacity to deal with systemic racial discrimination.

Submission 35, National Ethnic Disability Alliance

Often clients may present to a [community legal] Centre with a problem that has many contributing factors including racism. For example an unfair dismissal case, or tenancy problem maybe multifaceted, and include discrimination, prejudice or harassment. Yet the legal issue to be addressed and the possible remedies sought might not address the dynamics of racism in the incident. Or for example, if a woman wishes to take up a discrimination action her legal advocate may have to choose whether to act in terms of sex or race discrimination not both. The law does not accommodate dealing with raced and gendered discrimination together.

If the law does not cover particular types of racist incidents then clearly the legal response of legal centres is limited, although legal centres may be able to offer clients alternative avenues of redress.

One area which the law does not handle well is in defining what is a racist incident. Legislation does define racial vilification, but in Australia it is impossible to determine whether other attacks or harassment are racist or not since racial motivation is not a factor in classifying and prosecuting offences.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

As far as legal avenues go, I believe the newer racism and discrimination laws are fairly adequate but do not solve the problem. There does however need to be an audit of all State [and] Federal laws and legislation to ensure they do not either directly, indirectly or through interpretation adversely affect particular groups of people or individuals more than all other groups or individuals.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

As it is not an identifiable racial group, the Muslim community has no protection under the Racial Discrimination Act in Australia, which in Section 18C prohibits offensive behaviour because of race, colour or national or ethnic origin. It is not unlawful to defame religious groups.

Submission 27, Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT

[During consultations for the Tracking Your Rights package Indigenous people made the following comments to HREOC]

"To stand up and be counted is a wonderful moral sort of decision to make but if you actually have to do that you have to pay the price. To use the legislation you have to stand out in the pack. I'm not sure if I was 13 years old that I would want to do that." - Hobart

"People have an idea of their rights but are unsure of the ways to go about something. If they are victimised, they just put up with it. This is because in the past people have been victimised for standing up for their rights."

Submission 38, Nerida Blair

Question 11

What other measures could be adopted to ensure effective remedies for victims of racism?

The most powerful remedy is that people en masse no longer accepted racism, and would not sanction such behaviour implicitly or explicitly.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

STRONG, VISIONARY LEADERSHIP but we might have to wait a long time for that.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

Counselling, a visit to somewhere that isn't racial, lets try and show them something good about Australia.

Submission 6

In the words of the old Beatles hit "Money can't buy me love", money can't undo the harm, bring back lost parents, and straighten bent psyches or anything else. It simply becomes a milking cow to be exploited. Once monetary compensation is paid, there is an admission of guilt. How long must we then struggle for forgiveness, which is never mentioned.

Submission 20, Graeme and Val Wicks

One of the most difficult issues is reconciliation, overcoming the legacy of past practices, which still weigh heavily on people on both sides of the racial divide as they approach the problems in education. What might this mean, in practice? At the very least, the Education Minister could provide a lead by undertaking to acknowledge and apologise for the ways that the education system has been used in the past to deny people their basic rights. To those who would claim that this is in the past, and long forgotten, or done under previous (Commonwealth) administrations, many things could be said, but the opposition to Yipirinya School Councils efforts to establish itself until the mid 1980s, the closure of Traegar park School in 1990, or the current refusal to pass on Commonwealth capital funds to the Institute for Aboriginal Development are all actions in very recent memory.

More than a simple apology, however, is called for. For true reconciliation to begin on questions related to education, a properly-resourced 'Truth Commission' able to access the historical records of government and invite testimony from witnesses to these human rights abuses provides one model. This in itself would begin the process of adult education, of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, which is a necessary pre-condition for the development of a more just system in the future.

Submission 24, Dr Bob Boughton

Governments should:

• Offer protection against racist attacks and practices in society, by ensuring that law enforcement agencies act promptly and decisively to prevent and respond to all forms of racist attacks, and by bringing anyone responsible for racist abuses to justice.
  
• Racist behaviour by public officials should not be tolerated. The use of racist language by officials should be addressed with disciplinary and criminal measures.
  
• Allegations of racist abuses by justice officials should be effectively investigated, the complainants given protection against any form of intimidation, and any perpetrator brought to justice. Victims should receive full reparation.

Submission 29, Amnesty International Australia

Equity of Access to the Racial Discrimination Act 1975
For people with disability to access the RDA at the same rate as those without a disability, changes need to be made.

Sample Strategies:

• Community education targeted at ethnic communities with some specific focus on people with disability to encourage the use of the RDA should discrimination occur on the basis of race.
  
• Education provided to advocacy services dealing with people from a NESB with disability to assist advocates in the use of the RDA.
  
• Simplification of the current processes used.
  
• Financial assistance granted to people from a NESB with disability who cannot meet the costs associated with making complaints.

Submission 35, National Ethnic Disability Alliance

The [HREOC] discussion paper focuses solely on legal redress in this section. The discussion paper rightly notes that a major limitation is in the lack of enforcement of relevant laws and also accessing the mechanisms for redress.

Whilst national tribunals and laws are appropriate for national issues, they are not appropriate for 'everyday' experiences of racism, which may be more appropriately addressed on an individual or local level.

The forum for remedies or redress for victims of racial discrimination may operate best at a local level with local government levels of responsibility. Certainly, access to a local forum may be more readily attained than attempting to engage the laws at a national level.

Submission 37, Multicultural Affairs Qld

We need, except in extreme cases, to be getting away from punishment and looking to prevention and education.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

[W]e would strongly support moves for Australia to have a Bill of Rights in which equal rights for all peoples were enshrined, and not subject to ad hoc legislation and interpretation from whichever government is in power.

[We recommend] that a full, free and fair judicial enquiry is undertaken regarding the treatment of asylum seekers in Australia.

Submission 27, Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT

Question 12

Could these laws be improved? What should the aim of laws dealing with racism and racial discrimination be? - Prevention, punishment, public education?

I think punishment is a key - eg. ACCC wins corporate respect because of its profile and its ability to punish companies in terms of money and reputation. Then, I believe it is vital to give benefits to those who are "better than the average" to encourage them to continue being a leader in the area. Benefits could include a good reputation, government acknowledgement and tax breaks.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

All of the above.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

The law is a sad necessary fact. Public education should be first and offenders should be socially educated. Prevention is the goal of law.

Submission 6

Roderick Pearce, Submission 8

Victims of racism could of course receive adequate damages or compensation; also the result of any legal decision could be relayed to the media so that the perpetrator(s) were identified. However, an increase in litigation for racism or other acts of discrimination might well only intensify feelings of mistrust and inequity on the part of both victims and perpetrators and lead to increased racism, rather than less. Apart from prevention, a better solution might be properly conducted mediation unless the cause appeared to be motivated by the wish to dominate and exercise power, in which case the only avenue of redress would appear to be via the courts.

The best remedy would be to research and discover the underlying social and legislative cause or causes of racism and xenophobia in Australia then to amend that legislation towards reducing the underlying causes, e.g. those due to actual/ feelings of loss of equity, orfeelings of alienation by both the perpetrator(s) and the victim(s).

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

The aim of laws dealing with racial discrimination should be of a preventative nature through public education and punishment that addresses the significance of racial discrimination and sends a message.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

Legal remedies
Changes in the law do not necessarily guarantee that Australia would become a more just and tolerant society. However the law can provide safety nets, it offers remedies for victims of racism, it can perform a really important educative role in changing public opinion and establishing human rights standards. To this extent legislation should be developed to enforce positive duties on public authorities to act against institutional racism, and criminal legislation be expanded to incorporate racial motivation in personal and sexual assaults, property damage, apprehended violence orders and other related matters.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

If the victim did not wish to attend they could send a surrogate to present their case.

It was a very successful method as [the perpetrator] had to face up to and explain their actions, apologise for them and make recompense. It was far more personal than court.

Frank Pearce, Submission 23

Participants [in discussions conducted by the WA EOC] see legislation offering a supplementary role to education by:

• Protecting those who cannot fight back
  
• Providing protection after the event
  
• Paving the way for community projects

Submission 26, WA Equal Opportunity Commission

[We recommend] that the Racial Discrimination Act be altered to include defamation against all religious groups, so that Muslims and others have redress in law when we are defamed. We would like the stereotypes, lies and insults to stop. Australia's Racial Discrimination Act and its "extensive range of legislative and policy measures which contribute to racial tolerance and diversity" is only a half measure in this regard. It should be revised to include all acts of xenophobia.

Submission 27, Muslim Women's Welfare Association of the ACT

Theme 5: Strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including international cooperation and enhancement of UN international mechanisms in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and follow-up

Question 13

Does globalisation impact on people's experience of racism in Australia? What safeguards must be put in place to protect individuals and communities when globalisation contributes to racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance?

Increasing understanding of the refugee issues, likely to be the biggest security issue of the new millenium, is vital. We have to work out a way of growing acceptance of refugees, while still taking into account the impact on our environment and resources (seeing this country can only take a certain number of people physically) and how we can increase numbers while becoming a "whole" community.

I believe that once a refugee/migrant arrives in Australia, and plans to stay, s/he must become an Australian citizen and must renounce all other citizenship. I don't believe that it is acceptable to bring "old" issues to our country eg. Greeks vs Macedonians. Those old racially based issues, should be forgotten with their new citizenship.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

QA) Yes, because we are receiving some of the asylum seekers as a result of globalisation in the broad sense that where the bottom line for companies is not environmental and social benefits for an area of region or country, this further weakens the fabric and infrastructure and leadership of nations, both developing and first world.

QB) Racial employment quotas, profit share, company goals that are about environmental and social positive outcomes-Tim Costello said it-the triple bottom line.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

Increasing Australian citizens' ability to participate in the emerging knowledge-based economy via education is one way of assisting individuals, groups, companies, etc. But this will be mostly useless unless the issue of poverty and more equitable wealth-sharing is addressed. You cannot equip all Australians with skills if the structure of the job market and taxation system favours one particular segment of the community (the rich), at the expense of the rest.

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

A lot of the anti-globalisation rhetoric has been based around protection of local markets, and what is seen as "Australian" as well as the labelling of migrants as taking jobs from Australians. As a result young people of refugee and migrant backgrounds are forced to deal with racial taunts such as: "why don't you go back [to] where you came from", "stop taking our jobs".

There is a need for the government to address the real issues behind unemployment, so that refugees and migrants are not scapegoated. As well there is a need for a public education campaign to recognise that refugees and migrants have a right to employment and other basic human rights.

Submission 21, Western Young People's Independent Network

Economic globalisation breaks through barriers of nation states and collapses economic identities. For all nations, and for the first time for so called 'developed' nations, this increases their vulnerability to overseas influence, and places local labour markets in much more vulnerable positions. The rhetoric of the populist right has provided simplistic explanations blaming 'others' for taking Australian jobs, or theorising about United Nations inspired international 'Jewish' communist conspiracies to take over Australia, the failure of governments to defend the real Australia.

The impact of this rhetoric is that governments can [become] caught up in populist responses to economic and social pressures. They may refuse to take principled stands on human rights issues, or provide facile explanations of complex issues, or rely on nostrums about a mythical national identity instead of moving forward.

For people on the street the sense of vulnerability to dominant social groups, coupled with the lack of political leadership can lead to a defensive 'blame others' stance, resulting in an increase in racist physical attacks and verbal abuse. In the media it creates room for the 'demonisation of the 'other'.

Submission 36, The Combined Community Legal Centres Group of NSW

Globalisation encompasses the blurring of national and international boundaries, the dominance of the free market, the rise of multi-national companies, and the rise of international competition and trade, and has had and continues to have tremendous impact on Australia's social fabric. These include:

• a decrease in Australia's manufacturing industry, traditionally the largest employer of migrants;
  
• dismantling of tariffs on imports which has impacted on the production of primary industries and had serious implications for the people working on the land;
  
• the growth of service industries and IT industries. Service industries, such as hospitality, traditionally have high levels of female employees in part-time or casual jobs which are characterised by low levels of job security, low pay and few career prospects;
  
• the rise of the a new class of 'working poor' - people who work full time yet still live in poverty;
  
• a growing divide between rich and poor, with wealth concentrated amongst very few;
  
• rising unemployment, job insecurity, disintegration of the one career per lifetime model;
  
• dismantling of the welfare state;
  
• focus on the free market and economy as the means by which inequality will be addressed; and
  
• people are increasingly disengaged with government and cynical about government processes.

These factors have contributed to a general insecurity and a sense of frustration that community needs are not being reflected in government decisions. The resulting community disengagement with government fuels the need for an outlet or scapegoat. The obvious and historically bound choices are those people who are visibly or identifiably 'different'.

This is evidenced by recent public debate around the issues of multiculturalism and reconciliation. On one hand, the debate has given voice to the insecurities and frustrations of the disenfranchised elements of the general public who use it as an outlet for covert racist beliefs. Their appeal to 'equal rights' for all Australians can be interpreted as meaning the dismantling of services provided to Australians who are disadvantaged and require some extra assistance. This extra assistance is branded as 'special treatment' and used to undermine support given to Indigenous Australians, in particular.

On the other hand, the public debate, and the growing support for the argument mentioned above, has prompted many people to take action and publicly stand in opposition to racism.

Submission 37, Multicultural Affairs Qld

This is rather an ambiguous question as most people have little idea what globalisation means.

To me personally it means anything that impacts on racism in this country from an outside source, such as:

• All media
  
• The Internet
  
• Overseas imports that have obvious and not-so-obvious racist connotations, eg. CDs, literature, art, clothing, etc.
  
• The attitudes, values, beliefs and life experience of both migrants and visitors to Australia. This is magnified by the public profile of the particular individual, eg. the government allowing Eminem the pop singer a visa although his songs preach racism, bigotry and violence and have a huge effect on our youth.

Safeguards need to be put in place to either minimise or eradicate all of the above.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce

Question 14

What can Australia contribute to international efforts to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance?

Australia has the potential for a great domestic model that it could promote to other countries. We can also participate in international efforts.

Katherine Teh-White, Submission 3

Stop defying the UN Refugee Act by referring to them as illegal immigrants and criminals and start treating them for what they are - refugees - legitimate ones.

Sign the Women's and other agreements that we have not [signed] with UN. Halt Mandatory Sentencing.

Basically lead by example - that's the best power we have and we are openly flushing it (and our international standing as a decent bunch of people) down the toilet.

Ms Rhonda Balzan, Submission 4

Stand up united in the spirit that gave the world the forty hour week and lead the world by example.

Submission 6

• a strong and effective World Court and a World Justice System able to impose powerful sanctions on individuals, groups and nations; so that any individual or group experiencing discrimination can seek justice outside their own country, with strong sanctions against leaders permitting discrimination or violation of human rights e.g. Tibet, Iran, etc. This would reduce the number of refugees and illegal immigrants.
  [...]

Submission 28, Linley Grant and others

MAQ also strongly supports the need for leadership in Australia to reassert Australia's role at the forefront of support for human rights and international human rights monitoring bodies.
[...]
One major aim of MAQ is ensure that multiculturalism is central and not peripheral to government policies and processes. To do this effectively, communities and individuals must be encouraged to engage with government in such a way that they feel their voices have been heard and incorporated into the development of relevant policies and legislation. At the heart of this is the combating of racism in Australian society, so that all people are not only given the opportunity to participate, but that they may genuinely take up the offer to do so.

Australia is in a unique position to lead the world in building an harmonious multicultural society - not just a tolerant society but a diverse, engaged and active society that welcomes and celebrates difference.

Submission 37, Multicultural Affairs Qld

Before we can contribute to an international way to combating racism etc. we need to get our own backyard in order. The obvious way to contribute to international efforts to combat racism is to lead by example and become the shining light.

Submission 23, Frank Pearce