Racism. It Stops With Me acknowledges Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and pays respect to Elders, past, present and future. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website may contain images, voices, or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or text.

Case study - Multicultural Advisory Council

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Founded in 1859, Waverley Council established a strong social justice agenda early on, pursuing strategies in response to concerns such as gentrification, loss of affordable housing, access to quality affordable care, support for vulnerable people and a culturally diverse, cohesive community. The Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) requires Council to represent the diverse needs of the local community, address the health and wellbeing needs of community members and foster community cohesion by encouraging active participation in civic life.

Waverley Council established a Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC) more than 20 years ago to foster ongoing dialogue, discussion and advocacy in relation to multicultural matters, access and inclusion strategies.

Every two years, Waverley Council calls for applications for the MAC through its newsletter, social media channels, via local networks and by advertising in local media. Applicants are asked to send their resume, outline their interest in joining the MAC and address any selection criteria. Officers make recommendations to Council based on the ability of applicants to meet the criteria and other committee requirements.

The MAC’s quarterly meetings are chaired by the Mayor or the Mayor’s delegate. Waverley Councillors and the Executive Leadership Team are welcome to attend. Relevant Council staff are invited to share information and advice on topics of interest. MAC members use this forum to raise concerns, share ideas, provide feedback and build connections around Council services and community networks. Opportunities also exist for the MAC to contribute to Council’s wider initiatives.

Everyone enjoys coming together face-to-face but more recently the MAC meetings have had to shift online. The Terms of Reference provide a formal governance structure, including notifications, agenda, minimum attendance requirements, recommendations by consensus and minutes which are publicly available following a report to Council.

In the years of 2020 and 2021 years, the MAC was closely involved in the development of Waverley Council’s Cultural Diversity Strategy. This is an important document that outlines Council’s strong commitment to building an inclusive, cohesive and resilient community for people of all cultural backgrounds. The strategy was developed by Council in collaboration with local stakeholders and partners, and was informed by input from the wider Waverley community and industry experts.

The below quotes have been provided by members of the MAC and reflect some of the strengths of the MAC as well as certain areas where the work of the MAC could be strengthened:

I'm proud to belong to the MAC of Waverley Council where I have learnt so many things.

I would like to see MAC consulted on relevant issues even if it means convening ad hoc or short notice meetings.

I feel a profound and sincere sense of gratitude for all the lovely people that I met in MAC.

I would like to see more grassroots partnerships and involvement with local businesses.

The MAC helped me a lot to let me understand the importance of being an active part of a community.

It's taking a long time to implement MAC recommendations, longer than necessary.

It has been pleasing to see MAC membership grow with a broader range of voices in the group.

 

More information is available at https://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/.

Case study: Workplace Survey

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The first step is understanding how racism plays out in the workplace

Conversations about the pay gap for women and gender equality in the workplace are familiar to all Australians. Equally well documented is the toll that the pandemic has had (and is still having) on women’s careers around the country. However, this rhetoric has always been centred around white women. Terms such as intersectionality and “pet to threat” are still new and unfamiliar to most Australians. The lived experiences of women of colour are largely an unknown quantity, invisible to those who are not female and part of a racial minority group.

Women of Colour Australia (WoCA) champions women of colour through education programs, community support initiatives, and advocacy. WoCA’s vision is of girls and women of colour reaching their full potential through equitable opportunities. The key phrase here is equitable opportunities, which implies understanding the complex challenges and barriers, implicit and explicit, that prevent women of colour from excelling in their careers – something largely undocumented in Australia.

In 2020, WoCA conducted its inaugural Women of Colour in the Workplace national survey in partnership with Murdoch University researcher, Dr Catherine Archer 1. Applying an intersectional lens to gender equality in the workplace provided insight into how gender overlaps with other identities to impact the way oppression and discrimination are experienced.

The survey sought to explore the professional and workplace experiences of women of colour in Australia. A total of 543 women of colour completed the survey. 70 percent of respondents worked full-time and were aged between 25 and 34 years. Seven percent identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, with the remainder spanning heritage from more than 60 different nations. The women reported being employed in more than 250 different roles.

The main purpose of the survey was to explore and understand the role of different issues within the workplace and the effects they have on the experiences of women of colour in a work environment. It focused on identity; the positive and negative experiences of women of colour within the workplace; recognising and addressing barriers to professional advancement; how organisations like WoCA can best advise, support, and train women; and understanding the role of diverse identities in issues faced by women in the workplace.

The survey highlighted women are more likely to work part-time in white collar professional roles. It was illustrated that challenges of racism, tokenism and sexism were prevalent in the workplace, resulting in discriminatory behaviour from colleagues. This included microaggressions, gaslighting and blind spots, especially along generational lines, creating a space where many women did not feel safe, recognised or valued.

It also highlighted that many women of colour have had to work harder and be more direct to get where they are, and their job progressions have been slower than that of their Anglo peers. The lack of women of colour leaders in the workplace has also contributed to issues of isolation and lack of mentorship and sponsorship. Half of the women surveyed felt there were cultural barriers in the workplace that held them back from achieving their goals, particularly in terms of unconscious bias and the perception of white superiority. In the instances where a workplace had diversity and inclusion policies, the survey revealed that they were often not enacted, were only briefly covered in training, or only protected certain groups of people.

WoCA has developed a three-year strategic plan to directly address some of the challenges and barriers that surfaced in the survey. The strategic plan was created by WoCA board members made up of nine diverse women of colour. The leadership of the organisation is culturally rich, racially and ethnically diverse with an intersectional approach to solving systemic issues facing Australia’s women of colour. To address and implement their strategic objectives, WoCA has established seven volunteer committees: volunteer management; research & advocacy; learning & development; mentoring; events; communications & engagement; and fundraising & grants.

The Women of Colour in the Workplace national survey will be undertaken by WoCA annually to measure changes in this space.

 

More information is available at https://womenofcolour.org.au/.

 

1 Senior Lecturer in Strategic Communication; social media researcher, Murdoch University

Case study: Bonner Committee

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The Bonner Committee was first established in 2002. Its name is a mark of respect for the late Neville Bonner AO, who was Australia’s first Aboriginal Senator and the ABC’s only Aboriginal Board Director to date.

The Committee is the ABC’s primary advisory and representative body on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, content, and communities, with a specific responsibility for monitoring progress against the ABC’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Its membership is a mix of Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff, from content and administrative support, located in all parts of Australia. In choosing members, the Bonner Committee seeks expressions of interest from staff who have knowledge and interest about Indigenous and diversity issues and would like to be members.

The Bonner Committee has six primary objectives:

  • Providing expert advice to the Managing Director and the Executive on Indigenous matters, including the concerns of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and strategic and commercial opportunities.
  • Monitoring and reporting on progress against the ABC’s RAP and coordinating the process of updating and refreshing the RAP. The ABC’s current & fourth RAP has been developed as an Elevate RAP under Reconciliation Australia’s RISE (Reflect, Innovate, Stretch, Elevate) framework. The Elevate RAP includes a major new commitment to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, voices and names within ABC’s vocabulary and style, so that they may, in turn, become an everyday part of the vocabulary of the nation.
  • Sponsoring and organising Indigenous initiatives, both internally and with external partners, and generating ideas to enhance positive Indigenous outcomes for the Corporation. This includes the continual use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nation names in content, incorporating local languages on radio of the location from where they broadcast and Indigenous language lessons.
  • Promoting cultural awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, issues, and services internally and externally.
  • Assisting in developing strategies for increasing Indigenous participation and opportunities, particularly job recruiting, retaining and career pathways, in partnership with the People and Culture Team.
  • Serving as the Corporation’s representative voice on Indigenous matters and assisting in the development of ABC relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

 

More information is available at https://www.abc.net.au/.

Case Study - Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan

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The ABC’s Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) champions initiatives that recognise and embrace Australia’s Indigenous history and cultures. This includes the ABC’s commitment to Indigenous content across its media platforms, strengthening employment and business opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and building closer relationships with Indigenous communities. The Elevate RAP also includes a new commitment to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, voices and names within the ABC’s programs, so that this may become a part of the vocabulary of the nation. The Plan has been operational since July 2019. The ABC is one of only 25 organisations in Australia to be invited by Reconciliation Australia to develop an Elevate RAP, which is the highest form of RAP. The ABC was offered the opportunity to undertake an Elevate RAP because of the significant progress it had made under previous RAPs.

 

More information is available at https://www.abc.net.au/.

 

Jack White

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Meet Jack

Born-and-raised in regional Victoria, Jack White debuted in the NBL with the Cairns Taipans at just 18 years old. He went on to play four years of American college basketball in a world-renowned program at Duke University, developing his game alongside future NBA draft picks.  

Today, Jack plays forward for Melbourne United in the NBL where he helped them secure a championship win in 2021.

Jack was one of only a handful of players to be named as captain at Duke two years in a row. He was praised for his leadership and character by renowned coach Mike Krzyzewski who called him “the best teammate ever”.

It’s this same leadership that drives Jack to use his platform and take a stand against racism. While Jack may not have lived experience of racism, he acknowledges that challenging racism is everyone’s responsibility, and is committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with those working to promote racial equity.

“People need to understand and appreciate that they have the power do something about it.”

 

 

What does ‘Racism. It stops with me.’ mean to Jack?

From grassroots games to the NBA league, basketball has long been enriched by the diversity of its players and spectators alike.

As a professional player in the sport, Jack considers himself lucky to be surrounded by racial and cultural diversity. However, he also acknowledges that the opportunities he has enjoyed are not always available to everyone.

If there’s one thing Jack wants people to take away from his involvement in the campaign, it’s that you don’t need to directly experience racism to take a stand against it. Racism shapes the way our society operates, and we are all impacted one way or another. For Jack, creating a racially just and equitable society is the responsibility of everyone - racism can and should stop with all of us.

“Racism is something everyone should be passionate about bringing down.”

Jack White plays as forward for the NBL’s Melbourne United. Jack was critical to the team’s 2021 championship season and has previously played for the prestigious program at Duke University where he was captain for two years.
Headshot of Jack White in his Melbourne United Basketball Jersey
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National Basketball League (NBL) Player for Melbourne United
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Has my mental health ever been affected by racism?

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Studies show that experiences of racism are associated with people’s experiences of anxiety, post-traumatic stress, suicidal ideation and general mental health.1

 

As our understanding of mental health develops, we need to acknowledge the impacts of interpersonal, institutional and systemic racism on mental health. This includes the ongoing and intergenerational impacts of colonisation and dispossession experienced by First Nations peoples.2 The health of family, community and country was identified as a key factor in determining mental health in the Australian Human Rights Commission’s 2020 report, Wiyi Yani U Thangani.3

 

First Nations psychologists and health experts note that holistic approaches to mental health should consider social and emotional wellbeing, a framework that views mental health as inseparable from physical health, as well as connections to family, community, Country, culture and spirituality.4 Ongoing human rights violations, systemic racism and the inequitable distribution of resources throughout society all continue to undermine social and emotional wellbeing. Health policies must consider these structural determinants of mental health and employ culturally informed and responsive practice.5

 

The Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) Experiences of Racism Survey identified that prevention is likely to be a more effective and efficient public health intervention, rather than responding to individual incidents.6 Embedding anti-racism into our schools, organisations, institutions and government is vital in addressing mental health. Tackling racism will have positive psychological effects for our communities.

 

By reflecting on the impact of racism, and taking a stand against it, we can build a fair and equal society – for all.

 

Racism.

It stops with me.

 

1 Yin Paradies et al, ’Racism as a Determinant of Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis’, (2015) 10(9) PLOS One 1; Margaret Kelaher, Angeline Ferdinand and Yin Paradies, ‘Experiencing racism in health care: the mental health impacts for Victorian Aboriginal communities’ (2014) 201(1) Medical Journal of Australia 44.

2 Chelsea Watego, David Singh and Alissa Macoun, ‘Partnership for Justice in Health: Scoping Paper on Race, Racism and the Australian Health System’ (Discussion Paper, The Lowitja Institute May 2021) 3 <https://www.lowitja.org.au/content/Image/Lowitja_PJH_170521_D10.pdf>.

3 Australian Human Rights Commission, Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices): Securing Our Rights, Securing Our Future Report (Report, 2020) <https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/ahrc_wiyi_yani_u_thangani_report_2020.pdf>.

4 Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing, ‘Fact Sheet: Social and Emotional Wellbeing’, <https://timhwb.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SEWB-fact-sheet.pdf>; Vanessa Edwige et al, ‘Australia Needs to Decolonise its Mental Health and Empower More Indigenous Psychologists’, The Guardian (online, 2 June 2022) <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/02/australia-needs-to-decolonise-its-mental-health-system-and-empower-more-indigenous-psychologists?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other>.

5 Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing, ‘Fact Sheet: Social and Emotional Wellbeing’, <https://timhwb.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SEWB-fact-sheet.pdf>.

6 Angeline Ferdinand, Yin Paradies and Margaret Kelaher, Mental Health Impacts of Racial Discrimination in Victorian Aboriginal Communities: The Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) Experiences of Racism Survey (Report, 2013) <https://www.lowitja.org.au/content/Document/Lowitja-Publishing/LEAD-Report-WEB.pdf>.

If I am stopped by police, can I be sure it is not because of my race?

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Racial profiling leads to unfair and unnecessary criminalisation, with detrimental health and socio-economic impacts.1 Racial profiling by police reinforces stereotypes and can further stigmatise targeted communities, leaving them feeling alienated and unsafe.

 

In a 2017-2019 study on the criminalisation of young people from the South Sudanese community in Victoria, participants described experiences of harassment, intimidation and surveillance by police, and noted a stark difference in their treatment vis-à-vis white communities.2 Similar experiences were reported in the case of Haile-Michael v Konstantinidis (2013), in which the Federal Court established that the complainants, both East African-born, had been subjected to discriminatory policing through repeated and unjustified street stops.3 The case called on an expert witness who confirmed that young African Australians were 2.5 times more likely to be stopped by police in certain suburbs of Melbourne.4

 

There is explicit evidence demonstrating that First Nations people are routinely subject to racial profiling by police. In one example, documents released to The Guardian by Western Australia Police under Freedom of Information laws revealed significant disparities between police-initiated and automated camera law enforcement.5 The 2019 data revealed that Aboriginal drivers were far more likely to be given penalties by police, despite cameras revealing infringement levels between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal drivers to be almost exactly the same.6 Gaps in on-the-spot fines varied across different offence types, but in some cases, Aboriginal drivers were found to have 19.2 times more penalties than non-Aboriginal drivers. The same data showed that traffic enforcement involving Aboriginal drivers was leading to cycles of unpaid fines and further police attention.7

 

Racial profiling can also influence decisions made by others in positions of authority that lead to interactions with police. In 2020, a coronial inquest into the death of Yorta Yorta woman, Tanya Day, who died in police custody in 2017, found the train conductor’s unconscious bias regarding Ms Day’s Aboriginality directly influenced his decision to request police attendance to the train station.8 The inquest found that Ms Day was the first sleeping passenger ever removed from the train by that conductor.9

 

First Nations people in Australia are the most incarcerated people in the world, representing just 3% of the Australian population, but 29% of the prison population.10 Experiences of colonisation, dispossession, housing instability and trauma compound the likelihood that a person will encounter the criminal justice system. Research also shows that many Indigenous people are placed in custody for trivial offences and are less likely to be granted bail than non-Indigenous people.11 In reality, racial profiling by police is just one example of discrimination within and around the justice system.

 

In 1991, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) made numerous recommendations designed to prevent the over-incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.12 Since then, more than 500 First Nations people have died in police custody13 and most of the key recommendations made by RCIADIC remain unimplemented.14

 

Communities are providing tangible solutions to many of these issues. Organisations like Deadly Connections provide holistic, culturally responsive interventions that disrupt disadvantage and break the cycles of over-incarceration.15 Across the country, women and girls who engaged with the Wiyi Yani U Thangani project expressed their willingness to volunteer their efforts, expertise and community connections to ensure a better relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and police.16

 

By reflecting on the impact of racism, and taking a stand against it, we can build a fair and equal society – for all.

 

Racism.

It stops with me.

 

 

 

1 Police Accountability Project, ‘What is Racial Profiling?’ (Web Page) <https://www.policeaccountability.org.au/issues-and-cases/racial-profiling/>.

2 Kathryn Benier et al, Don’t Drag Me Into This: Growing Up South Sudanese in Victoria After the 2016 Moomba ‘Riot’ (Report, October 2018) <https://www.cmy.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Dont-Drag-Me-Into-This-Research-Report-Oct-2018-FINAL.pdf>.

3 Leanne Weber, ‘You’re Going to be in the System Forever’: Policing, Risk and Belonging in Greater Dandenong and Casey’ (Report, 2020) 13 <https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/youre-going-to-be-in-the-system-forever-policing-risk-and-belongi>.

4 Police Accountability Project, ’Race Discrimination Case Documents’ (Web Page) <https://www.policeaccountability.org.au/issues-and-cases/racial-profiling/race-discrimination-case-documents/>.

5 Western Australia Police, 44543320 (Briefing Note, 2019), published in Calla Wahlquist, ‘Aboriginal drivers in WA more likely to get fines from police officers than traffic cameras’, The Guardian (online, 5 February 2020) <https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/05/aboriginal-drivers-in-wa-more-likely-to-get-fines-from-police-officers-than-traffic-cameras>.

6 Western Australia Police, 44543320 (Briefing Note, 2019), published in Calla Wahlquist, ‘Aboriginal drivers in WA more likely to get fines from police officers than traffic cameras’, The Guardian (online, 5 February 2020) <https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/05/aboriginal-drivers-in-wa-more-likely-to-get-fines-from-police-officers-than-traffic-cameras>.

7 Western Australia Police, 44543320 (Briefing Note, 2019), published in Calla Wahlquist, ‘Aboriginal drivers in WA more likely to get fines from police officers than traffic cameras’, The Guardian (online, 5 February 2020) <https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/05/aboriginal-drivers-in-wa-more-likely-to-get-fines-from-police-officers-than-traffic-cameras>.

8 Human Rights Law Centre, ‘Tanya Day inquest- summary of findings’ (Web Page, 2020) <https://www.hrlc.org.au/human-rights-case-summaries/2020/9/8/tanya-day-inquest-summary-of-findings>.

9 Human Rights Law Centre, ‘Tanya Day inquest – summary of findings’ (Web Page, 2020) <https://www.hrlc.org.au/human-rights-case-summaries/2020/9/8/tanya-day-inquest-summary-of-findings>.

10 Australian Human Rights Commission, ‘Stop mass incarceration to prevent deaths in custody’ (Web Page, 14 April 2021) <https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/media-releases/stop-mass-incarceration-prevent-deaths-custody>.

11 Australian Human Rights Commission, Indigenous Deaths in Custody: Chapter 6 Police Practices (Report, 1996) <https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/indigenous-deaths-custody-chapter-6-police-practices>.

12 Australian Human Rights Commission, ‘Stop mass incarceration to prevent deaths in custody’ (Web Page, 14 April 2021) <https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/media-releases/stop-mass-incarceration-prevent-deaths-custody>.

13 Australian Institute of Criminology, ‘New deaths in custody report released’ (Web Page, 2 December 2021) <https://www.aic.gov.au/media-centre/news/new-deaths-custody-report-released-0>.

14 Deloitte, Review of the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody (Report, 2018) <https://www.niaa.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/rciadic-review-report.pdf>.

15 Deadly Connections, ‘Welcome to Deadly Connections’ (Web Page) <https://deadlyconnections.org.au/about-us/>.

16 Australian Human Rights Commission, Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices): Securing Our Rights, Securing Our Future Report (Report, 2020) 172 <https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/ahrc_wiyi_yani_u_thangani_report_2020.pdf>.

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