Resources
Policy documents and guidelines
Victorian government: Victoria’s first anti-racism strategy (2024)
Victorian Anti-Racism Strategy (2024-2029)
Available in different community languages:
https://www.vic.gov.au/victorias-anti-racism-strategy-your-language
Further information
https://www.vic.gov.au/victorias-anti-racism-strategy-2024-2029
Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC): National Anti-Racism Framework 2024
National Anti-Racism Framework: https://humanrights.gov.au/anti-racism-framework
Further Information about the AHRC:
For employers: preventing and addressing racism at the workplace
Guideline: Race discrimination in the workplace – your rights and responsibilities under the Equal Opportunity Act (2024), VEORHC
More information
Fact sheets and guides on racism at the workplace (in multiple languages): https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/resources/guideline-workplace-race-discrimination/
For local governments
Empowerment through community-led responses to racism. A practical guide for local governments (2022), Welcoming Cities and Victoria University
Recent reports on racism in Victoria
Understanding reporting barriers and support needs for those experiencing racism in Victoria (2024), Victoria University, together with the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) and the Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV)
Racism in Victoria and what it means for the health of Victorians (2017), Victorian Government
Hidden Cost: Young multicultural Victorians and COVID-19 (2020), Centre for Multicultural Youth and Australian National University
Local studies
Towards improved anti-racism support in Casey and Greater Dandenong (2023), Victoria University together with the City of Greater Dandenong and City of Casey
Speaking out against racism: An anti-racism roadmap for Whittlesea (2022), Victoria University together with Whittlesea Community Connections
All in this together: A community-led response to racism for the City of Wyndham (2021), Victoria University together with the City of Wyndham
Anti-racism legislation
Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Victoria)
The Equal Opportunity Act 2010 prohibits direct and indirect discrimination and victimisation and establishes a positive duty for employers and other ‘duty holders’ to take measures to prevent and eliminate racism.
More information
Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 (Victoria)
The Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 outlaws public behaviour that incites or encourages hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule against another person or group of people because of their race and/or religion.
More information
Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Victoria)
The Charter protects civil, political and cultural rights in Victoria and obliges public authorities to observe those rights.
More information
https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/legal-and-policy/victorias-human-rights-laws/the-charter
Sentencing Act 1991 (Victoria)
According to the Sentencing Act 1991, hatred and prejudice motivation needs to be considered as an aggravating factor when determining the sentence for a crime (section 5).
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Commonwealth)
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person because of their race, colour, descent, national origin or ethnic origin, or immigrant status in many areas of public life.
It also makes racial hate speech unlawful, prohibiting speech and acts that are ‘reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate a person or group because of their race, colour, or national or ethnic origin’.
More information
https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/employers/racial-discrimination
