Eliminating racism remains an urgent priority for Victoria
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is a day to reaffirm our commitment to tackling racism wherever it occurs in the community, to understand the drivers and the harms caused – both to individuals and their communities – and to advocate for stronger and more accessible protections for any person at risk of unfair treatment because of the colour of their skin, the language they speak, their cultural background or what they believe.
21 March 2023
The date commemorates a tragic chapter in modern history, when police officers in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire on protesters at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid ‘pass laws’ in 1960. In total, 69 people were killed and many more wounded for speaking up about government policy that embedded racial segregation and political, social and economic discrimination in everyday life.
Some organisations mark this day as Harmony Day, a celebration of multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is certainly a rich thread that has woven through much of Australian history and contributed much to the rich diversity we experience living in Australia today. But we cannot ignore the fact that despite this, racism is a persistent and corrosive problem in our community.
In the last five years, we’ve received more than 1500 complaints from Victorians who have experienced discrimination or vilification on the basis of their racial background or religious beliefs. Almost 40 per cent of these incidents occurred in workplace, while a further third occurred in the provision of goods and services – but we know they these complaints represent only a small proportion of the unfair treatment people from multicultural and multifaith communities experience every day.
Through our enquiries, complaints and education functions, we work with members of Victoria’s multicultural and multifaith communities to help them understand their protections under Victorian law and exercise their rights. Then work with community leaders to help them share this knowledge with their families, friends and other community members.
While these public services are a vital way to help resolve individual experiences of racism, we know real and enduring change also relies on addressing systemic racism and the systems, policies and attitudes that allow it to persist within key institutions and services. This year, we’ll continue working with the Victorian Government on strengthening protections from hate speech and other hate conduct experienced by members of racialised communities, working with public sector leaders to interrogate and improve systems that enable racism to persist, and continuing our engagement with community groups to address racism where it exists in the community.
If you have experienced discrimination or vilification because of your race or religious belief, contact our Enquiry Line on 1300 292 153 for more information about your rights or how you can make a complaint. You can also find more information via our Reducing Racism hub.