According to Amnesty International’s Human Rights Barometer, almost half of respondents (46%) believed that Australia was a ‘successful multicultural society’ and just over half of respondents (55%) believed there was a problem with racism.
More than a quarter thought we didn’t have a problem with racism at all, and worryingly, 57% of the respondents also said they believed that some ethnic groups and cultures don’t want to fit into the “Australian” way of life.
It’s clear that racism not only exists but is also a growing problem in Australia.
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination commemorates the day on which police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid in 1960.
From 1999, Australia rebranded International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination from a day of solidarity with people struggling with racial discrimination, to a day for celebration often referred to as ‘Harmony Day’.
While we should celebrate diversity and multiculturism, we must also take the time to understand racism, what it can look like, why it’s still a problem in Australia and how we can take action to combat it.
Understanding racism
Racism presents itself in several ways but at its essence, is a form of discrimination where a person or group of people are unfairly treated because they either belong or appear to belong to a particular ethnic group.
Did you know that race is not a biological or genetic fact? Race is actually a social construct – ideals created to sort people into ‘racial’ groups based on skin colour or other physical traits, languages spoken, cultural practices or religion, to support exertions of power.
Racism has shaped human history for thousands of years, and it continues to shape the world we live in now. It exists in different ways, embedded in our culture, communities, and ourselves.
The violent history of colonialism and dispossession across the continent, and the racist ideas that underpin it, mean that First Nations People have unique experiences of racism.
Most people are familiar with interpersonal or individual racism which occurs in individual interactions. This is different to systemic racism, where people are unjustly treated by governments, policies and laws, in the media, in health, or in education.
Racism on the individual level can look like:
- Racial slurs directed at an individual or group of people
- Questioning an Indigenous person’s credentials because of their background
- Crossing the street to avoid walking by a person of colour
Racism on the systemic level can look like:
- Indigenous children being arrested for offences non-Indigenous children are given warnings for
- Less representation of Indigenous people in leadership roles, including in politics and business
- Lack of cultural safety resulting in poorer health outcomes for Indigenous people
Both forms of racism reinforce each other.
Repeated experiences of racism build up over time and have significant emotional, psychological and behavioural tolls. Systemic racism can be invisible to those who aren’t affected.
The ability to navigate society and life without being touched by racism is a form of privilege.
Effects of racism
Over the past decade, racist incidents have been reported in nearly all aspects of Australian society from everyday settings such as public transport, to essential institutions such as education and healthcare.
- 1 in 2 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people experienced at least one incident of racial harassment or discrimination at work 2.
- More than 1 in 3 Australians born overseas of non-English speaking backgrounds experienced discrimination because of their skin colour, ethnicity, or religion This rises to 2 in 5 for Australians born in an Asian country.3.
- About 1 in 3 Australians hold negative views towards Muslims.3
- The number of Islamophobic incidents reported in Australia has reached record highs, with 675 incidents reported between January 2023 and November 2024.4
- Muslim women and girls were the primary targets of Islamophobia, accounting for 79% of reports of verbal abuse and 95% of incidents on public transport.4
Understanding the extent of racism in Australia is the first step to eradicating it.
Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner described racism as a ‘significant social and national security threat to Australia’. While it may be a difficult truth to confront, it’s clear Australia has an enduring problem with racial discrimination and abuse.
What you can do
Did you know that your basic human rights are not protected by law in Australia? In fact, Australia is the only liberal democracy in the world without a Human Rights Act.
With a Human Rights Act, the government would need to respect human rights when making decisions, including our right to be treated equally, regardless of our appearance, culture, sexuality, age, gender, or beliefs.
When Bendigo’s Islamic community wanted to build a mosque, they faced opposition from racists who challenged the building of the mosque in court. But because Victoria has laws protecting human rights, they could use their freedom to practice religion to fight for their human rights. The community succeeded in court and the mosque is being built today.
Right now, Australia’s laws are failing to protect our fundamental freedoms, and without a federal Human Rights Act, there’s almost nothing Australians can do if they suffer human rights abuse. Because of this, powerful people continue to abuse human rights.
The time is now. Implementing a Human Rights Act in law would make a meaningful improvement to all our lives. A Human Rights Act that protects all rights will mean everyone, everywhere can live with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Learn more:
- Stay informed with our monthly Community Is Everything Newsletter. Sign up here to get notified when it lands
- Learn more about our Indigenous justice campaign
Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 10 million people who take injustice personally. We are campaigning for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all – and we can only do it with your support.
Act now or learn more about our human rights campaigns.
