If you wish to make a complaint regarding unlawful discrimination or a breach of human rights, you can lodge a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission or relevant state and territory agencies. Find more information on making a complaint on the Australian Human Rights Commission's website.
You can apply to the Federal Court or Federal Circuit and Family Court to have your case heard by the court. You must go through the Australian Human Rights Commission conciliation process first before you can lodge an application. The commission will issue a notice that your complaint has been closed.
You need to inform the person or organisation you want to take action against, why you want to take action. You do this by sending them a letter called a letter before claim. Your letter should explain what happened to you and why you think unlawful discrimination has taken place.
The penalties for discriminatory adverse action can result in a maximum penalty of $66,600 for every corporation violation and $13,320 for every individual violation. The penalty can also include order for injunctions, reinstatement of the employee and/or compensation.
You can make a complaint no matter where you live in Australia. If you are not sure if you can make a complaint about something, you can contact the Commission's National Information Service by phone on 1300 656 419 or by email to infoservice@humanrights.au.
For Example: An employer refused to hire a suitably qualified person as a shop assistant because they were Aboriginal, and instead hired a less qualified person of a different racial background. This could be racial discrimination.
The Equality Act 2010 says you must not be discriminated against because of your race. In the Equality Act, race can mean your colour, or your nationality (including your citizenship). It can also mean your ethnic or national origins, which may not be the same as your current nationality.
Racism against various ethnic or minority groups has existed in Australia since British colonisation.
Other parts of the White Australia policy, such as the registration of non-British migrants as 'aliens', continued into the early 1970s. The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 made it illegal to discriminate against migrants based on their race. It removed the last traces of the White Australia policy.
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 promotes equality before the law for all people regardless of race, colour or national or ethnic origin. It is unlawful to discrimination against people on the basis of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.