Australia: A Hotbed of Racism

This presentation sheds light on the history, causes, impact, and prevention of racism in Australia. It discusses the laws against racism, measures adopted by universities, and steps towards improvement. It also includes case studies that highlight the severity of the issue.

AUSTRALIA: A HOTBEAD OF RACSIM

RACISM
As per the Black’s Law
Dictionary, Racism refers
to policies that people or a
group of people of
different race are put
through, which are
generally offensive,
confronting and
antagonistic.
Discrimination based on
race, colour, ethnicity or
nationality.
Person made to feel
inferior.
Direct or indirect racial
discrimination.

BACKGROUND
Traces back in history of the Aboriginals
and Torres Strait Islanders of Australia.
Indigenous people deprived of right of full
citizenship due to foreign invasion,
colonisation and immigration.
Discriminations increased with the
increased immigration of Africans and
Asians.

CAUSE
Sense of insecurity due to foreign ‘white’
European invasion back in the 16th century.
Increased immigration from all over the
globe.
Economic insecurity, for the inhabitants loses
job to the immigrants.
Over-representation of international
students.
Overseas migration represented 6% of the
country’s population in 2013
(Humanrights.gov.au 2019).

RACISM AND AUSTRALIA
Researchers at University of Western Sydney held that:
 1 out of 5 people faces racism, at least in a year.
 10% of the surveyed people held racist views.
 77% of Muslim women experience some form of racism
while travelling on a public transport or in the street.
 65% of the indigenous people faced racial discrimination.
 Every 1 in 3 immigrants faced racial hurdle to find a job
for the first time
 7% of the immigrants faced restriction due to their visa
type (Abs.gov.au 2019).

IS IT TRUE?
Unfortunately, yes!
‘Uneducated bigots’ not primarily responsible for
racism.
Capitalists or the Ruling class divides the society.
While, the Media spreads it.
As reported by the News.com.au, “offensive big
bash banner that went viral” (News.Com.Au 2019)
New York Time wrote “Race Politics Is Back, but
what does that mean?” (Nytimes.com 2019)
In Eatock v Bolt [2011] FCA 1103, the
newspaper commentator Andrew Bolt was held
guilty of racial discrimination by the Federal Court
of Australia.

WHO ARE AFFECTED?
Boosted by
the capitalist
class,
suffered by
the working
class.
Immigrants
International
students
Racism
between
employer-
employee.

IMPACT
Negative perception diminished International
college applications.
Overseas students are the third largest
source of overseas or ‘export’ income.
Impact on Australian economy.

IMPACT
Racism leading
to growing
number of crime
and terrorism.
Apprehension in
the mind of the
common people.

LAWS AGAINST RACISM
Statutes and Precedents
The Australian Constitution
Australian Human Rights Commission Act
1986

LAWS AGAINST RACISM (contd)
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975
(RDA)
The Racial Hatred Act 1995
Prior v Queensland University of
Technology & Others [2016] FCCA
2853
McMahon v Bowman [2000] FMCA 3

DETERRING MEASURES UNDERTAKEN BY GOVERNMENT
The different legislations lay down various
provisions that impart deterrence in the minds of
the racists.
New stringent rules are also implemented.
Complaints to
 Australian Communications and Media Authority
(ACMA)
 Australian Press Council for newspaper stories.
 Government held guilty of racial discrimination at
Canberra, as reported by The Canberra Times.
 Wanjurri v Southern Cross Broadcasting (Aus) Ltd
[2001] HREOCA 2

PERCEPTION ABOUT HIGHER-EDUCATION
Overseas students
have been rampantly
attacked in Australian
in 2009-2010.
However, that did not
diminish the number
much.
Superior quality and
standard of living and
earning has kept
students hooked to the
country.

MEASURES ADOPTED BY UNIVERSITIES
Monash University
 Organises campaigns
Federal University
 Preventive policies and procedures are taken
up
 Social Inclusion plan helps to establish equality
and social justice.
 Online equality program

MEASURES ADOPTED BY UNIVERSITIES
Western Sydney University
Training and workshop
Bystander Anti-racism training
Social marketing/communication campaign
Linguistically and culturally diverse

STEPS TOWARD IMPROVEMENT
Individual role to play for ensuring anti-
racism
The Australian Human Rights Commission
disseminates awareness under Racial
Discrimination Act.
Research and educational projects in schools,
communities and colleges to teach the young
generation from early age.

PREVENTIONNational Anti-Racism
Partnership and
Strategy, a
multicultural policy ha
been adopted by the
country.
 Helps in the
development and
implementation of the
National Anti-Racism
Strategy in Australia.
 Steps taken by domestic
violence organisation
against racist Indigenous
woman

CASE STUDY 1
On the August 8’s issue of The Guardian
published an interview of Blair Cottrell, a
stringent far-right extremist who has
mentioned of his admiration for Adolf Hitler.
Blair Cottrell, leader of United Patriot Fund
has a past history of ridiculing Muslims,
inciting contempt and other racial
discriminatory things.
Admitted of manipulating women with
‘violence and terror’

CASE STUDY 1 (contd)
Craig Emerson, a former Labour Minister quit
his post as a Sky Commentator saying that it
was disgraceful to interview Blair Cottrell as it
promotes racism and bigotry in the country.
As Blair Cottrell had stated in the interview
that he intends to accept skilled immigrants
only; white farmers from South Africa and none
form the rest of the world.
The news channel subsequently removed the
telecast of the interview.

CASE STUDY 2
An Indian Family was told to move back to
‘s**tsville’ on September 2018 by one of their
neighbour.
Family threatened for their cooking smell

CASE STUDY 3
A 14 years old
Aboriginal girl named
Rochelle from Perth
committed suicide on
January 10, 2019.
Victim of bullying and
racism by her friends
who turned against her.
In addition, four other
Aboriginal girl
committed suicide
within the time frame of
less than a month
before Rochelle’s death.

REFERENCES
Abs.gov.au. (2019). 6250.0 - Characteristics of Recent Migrants, Australia, Nov 2010. [online]
Available at:
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Products/6250.0~Nov+2010~Main+Features~Employ
ment?OpenDocument [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].
Branco, J. (2019). Indigenous woman sacked after making racial discrimination complaint.
[online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at:
https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/indigenous-woman-sacked-after-racial-
discrimination-complaint-20180110-p4yydp.html [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].
Belot, H. (2019). Government found guilty over racial discrimination case at Canberra Hospital.
[online] Canberra Times. Available at:
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/act/government-found-guilty-over-racial-
discrimination-case-at-canberra-hospital-20150119-12tb4z.html [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].
Books.publishing.monash.edu. (2019). '6. Racism and international students in Australia' in A
Home Away from Home? International Students in Australian and South African Higher
Education by Ilana Snyder and John Nieuwenhuysen | EPress. [online] Available at:
http://books.publishing.monash.edu/apps/bookworm/view/A+Home+Away+from+Home
%3F+International+Students+in+Australian+and+South+African+Higher+Education/175/
OEBPS/c06.htm [Accessed 24 Jan. 2019].
Duttagupta, I. (2019). Why Australia is still a favourite destination for Indian students. [online]
The Economic Times. Available at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/why-australia-still-a-favourite-
destination-of-indian-students/articleshow/64044929.cms [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019].
Humanrights.gov.au. (2019). Face the facts: Cultural Diversity | Australian Human Rights
Commission. [online] Available at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/face-facts-cultural-diversity
[Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].
Humanrights.gov.au. (2019). Know your rights: Racial discrimination and vilification | Australian
Human Rights Commission. [online] Available at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/race-
discrimination/publications/know-your-rights-racial-discrimination-and-vilification [Accessed 25
Jan. 2019].

REFERENCES
 Latimore, J. (2019). Australia is deplorably racist, as people of colour are
reminded when they speak up | Jack Latimore. [online] the Guardian.
Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/10/australia-is-
deplorably-racist-as-people-of-colour-are-reminded-when-they-speak-up
[Accessed 24 Jan. 2019].
 Maley, J. (2019). If you think Australia has a racism problem, you're the
racist. [online] The Sydney Morning Herald. Available at:
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/if-you-think-australia-has-a-racism-
problem-you-re-the-racist-20180524-p4zhbl.html [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].
 Meade, A. (2019). Outcry over Sky News Australia interview with far-right
extremist. [online] the Guardian. Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/06/outcry-sky-news-
australia-interview-far-right-extremist-blair-cottrell [Accessed 24 Jan. 2019].
 NewsComAu. (2019). An offensive banner at the Big Bash league has caused
outrage. [online] Available at: https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/the-
offensive-big-bash-banner-that-went-viral/news-story/
5c796a91583f7713f701f646d989bfe6 [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].
 Nytimes.com. (2019). ‘Race Politics Is Back,’ but What Does That Mean?. [online]
Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/06/world/australia/discrimination-
commissioner-speech-race.html [Accessed 28 Jan. 2019].
 Redflag.org.au. (2019). How racism works in Australia | Red Flag. [online]
Available at: https://redflag.org.au/node/5713 [Accessed 24 Jan. 2019].

REFERENCES
SBS Your Language. (2019). Australian Indian family told to ‘move back
to S**tsville’. [online] Available at:
https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/punjabi/en/article/2018/05/30/
australian-indian-family-told-move-back-stsville [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019].
Student diversity and inclusion. (2019). Racism. It Stops With Me. [online]
Available at: https://www.monash.edu/student-diversity-inclusion/cultural-
inclusion/racism-it-stops-with-me [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019].
The Conversation. (2019). Here’s how Australia can act to target racist
behaviour online. [online] Available at: https://theconversation.com/heres-
how-australia-can-act-to-target-racist-behaviour-online-85448 [Accessed 25
Jan. 2019].
Theaustralian.com.au. (2019). Subscribe to The Australian | Newspaper home
delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps. [online] Available at:
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/rochelle-pryors-
final-step-to-stop-the-bullies-and-the-racism/news-story/
0fffe6f7d11529a4b2873cb34031f034 [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019].
Westernsydney.edu.au. (2019). Anti-Racism | Western Sydney University.
[online] Available at:
https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/equity_diversity/equity_and_diversity/
bystander_anti-racism_project [Accessed 25 Jan. 2019].

THANK YOU