VMC Submission to the National Anti-Racism Partnership and Strategy a) About the VMC
The Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC), established under the Multicultural
Victoria Act 2011, provides independent advice to the Victorian Government to assist with the development of legislative and policy frameworks and the delivery of services to the State’s culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. It is the main link between CALD communities and the Government and aims to support and empower communities, promote unity and understanding, and celebrate
Victoria’s diversity. b) Introduction
The VMC welcomes the Commonwealth Government’s decision to develop a
National Anti-Racism Partnership and Strategy with the stated aim of promoting a clear understanding in the Australian community of what racism is, and how it should be prevented and reduced.
Victoria, and Australia, is a culturally diverse, harmonious and socially cohesive society, with more than 200 nations and 120 faiths represented and over 30,000
Indigenous Victorians living in the State. There is widespread support for diversity, with the Victorian Population Health Survey 2009 finding that 75.1 per cent of
Victorians felt multiculturalism made life better in their area 1 , and the Challenging
Racism Project finding that Victoria is leading other states in its acceptance of cultural diversity.
2
The VMC recognises, however, that there is more work to be done in addressing racist attitudes that exist in the Victorian community. The VMC is concerned by community reports of racism and negative attitudes towards cultural diversity, as highlighted in annual VMC community consultations and backed up by research including the Challenging Racism Project, which highlighted the existence of racist attitudes, race-hate talk and discrimination in institutional settings.
Racism is of concern given increasing evidence of its negative impact on individuals, institutions, communities and society more broadly, as outlined in the Australian
Government’s 2012 report on the social inclusion agenda, A Stronger Fairer
1 Victorian Department of Health, 2009, Victorian Population Health Survey , http://docs.health.vic.gov.au/docs/doc/Victorian-population-health-survey-2009:-selected-findings
2 University of Western Sydney, Challenging Racism: The Anti-racism Research Project, http://www.uws.edu.au/ssap/school_of_social_sciences_and_psychology/research/challenging_racism
1

Australia, which suggested that race-based discrimination can lead to ill-health, isolation, reduced productivity, and reduced life expectancy; and can also negatively affect families and local communities, with resultant social and economic costs.
3
A report by VicHealth supports this finding, highlighting that exposure to discrimination is a factor in poor health and has negative impacts on productivity, community cohesion, social inclusion and the attainment of human rights, and, at the more extreme end, can lead to individual and community level violence.
4
In recognition of the negative impacts of racism and the need to accord respect for cultural, religious and linguistic diversity, the VMC believes it is incumbent on all levels of government as well as the private and community sectors to put in place effective policies and strategies to protect and enhance diversity, and prevent and reduce racism and discrimination. c) Victorian Government Policy Framework
The Victorian Government has in place a strong legislative and policy framework. At the legislative level, this includes:

Multicultural Victoria Act 2011 - establishes the principles of multiculturalism that accord respect for Victoria’s cultural, religious and linguistic diversity.
The Preamble to the Act includes that the Parliament wishes to promote
Victoria as a united community with shared laws, values, aspirations and responsibilities within which people from a diversity of backgrounds have (a) the freedom and opportunity to preserve and express their cultural heritage;
(b) the freedom and opportunity to participate and contribute to the social, cultural, economic and political life of Victoria; and (c) equal rights and responsibilities under the laws of Victoria.

Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 - provides formal recognition of the human rights, freedoms and responsibilities of people living in Victoria. These include cultural rights, such that “people can have different family, religious and cultural backgrounds. They can enjoy their culture, declare and practice their religion and use their languages.” The
Victorian Government, local councils and other public authorities must not knowingly be in breach of these rights, and must always consider them when they create laws, develop policies and deliver their services.

Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 - designed to protect all Victorians against serious racial and religious vilification. Vilification is a public behaviour that incites hatred against, or serious contempt or severe ridicule of, another person or group of people because of their race or religion.
 Equal Opportunity Act 2010 - protects people from discrimination on the basis of their individual attributes, including race and religious belief, and
3 Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2009, A Stronger Fairer Australia, Commonwealth of
Australia, Canberra, pg. 9
4 VicHealth, 2009, Building on our Strengths, http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Programs-and-
Projects/Freedom-from-discrimination/Building-on-our-strengths.aspx
2

provides redress for people who have been discriminated against. The Act includes a positive duty to eliminate discrimination, which obliges organisations covered by the law to take proactive, reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent discrimination from happening.
The Victorian Government also has in place policies and initiatives to support the
State’s cultural, linguistic and religious diversity and tackle racism, led by the VMC,
Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship (OMAC), the Victorian Equal
Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) and with considerable leadership shown in sectors such as education, policing and sport. Such policies and initiatives include:
 Cultural Diversity Week – annual State-wide celebration of Victoria’s cultural, religious and linguistic diversity, coinciding with the UN Day for the Elimination of Racism on 21 March.

Multicultural Awards for Excellence Program – annual awards to recognise and reward the contributions of individuals and organisations that promote the social, economic and cultural benefits of Victoria’s multicultural community.

Refugee Action Program – partnering with local agencies to work with refugee communities to identify and respond to their needs and concerns and assist them to access existing services.

Promoting Harmony and Multifaith initiatives – this includes a grants program to improve understanding in the wider Victorian community, training and leadership programs, and a Multifaith Multicultural Youth Network to provide advice on issues and initiatives that affect young Victorians from CALD backgrounds.

International Student Care Service – provides information and support to international students and referral to local services including crisis intervention, legal issues, health issues and social isolation.

Community Grants Program – $4.5 million program that provides support to
Victoria’s CALD communities, especially new and emerging communities, to develop and sustain local community organisations and programs; to promote social, cultural and economic inclusion; and encourage greater community participation, understanding and mutual respect.
 All of Us Teacher Resources Kit - resources to promote positive attitudes towards diversity within Victorian schools, accompanied by teacher professional development training.
 Regional Advisory Councils – eight Councils across Victoria to work in partnership with the VMC and local communities and operate as important conduits for information on regional settlement and multicultural issues.
3

d) VMC Recommendations in Response to the Discussion Paper
Objective 1: Create awareness of racism and how it affects individuals and the broader community
The VMC supports a holistic response to redressing racism in Australia. This includes governments at all levels working with the community, business, sporting, education, unions and media sectors to improve attitudes towards cultural diversity and difference, and to reduce, prevent and respond to racism.
The VMC believes there is a need for an ongoing and proactive commitment to multiculturalism and to better value the contributions of diverse communities. A strong multicultural policy provides the overarching framework for recognising and valuing diversity and the rights and responsibilities of all people in a multicultural society, while building an inclusive form of national identity.
The VMC welcomed the release of the Commonwealth Government’s The People of
Australia: Australia’s Multicultural Policy and supports the four multicultural policy principles contained within, which align with the principles set out in the
Multicultural Victoria Act 2011 (Appendix 1).
Building on this policy and multicultural legislation at the state level, the VMC believes the Commonwealth Government should enshrine the principles of multiculturalism in national legislation so as to provide strong recognition of, and guidance on, Australia’s multiculturalism; demonstrate support for cultural and linguistic diversity; and oppose all forms of racism.
Recommendation 1 - That the Commonwealth Government, in consultation with the
States and Territories, introduces an Australian Multicultural Act, which defines the principles and lays the foundations for an open, united and inclusive society, based on the principles of the Multicultural Victoria Act 2011.
Alongside such multicultural legislation, there is a need for strong and coordinated institutions, policies and programs to ensure the continuing success of multiculturalism in Australia and to prevent, and respond to, racism.
Research suggests that preventing and reducing racism is best achieved through a holistic and multi-faceted approach. Rather than ‘one-size-fits-all’ programs, there is a need for multiple strategies at multiple levels in ways that support and reinforce one another.
5 Such an approach requires coordination across levels of government and agencies.
5 VicHealth, 2009, Building on our Strengths, pg. 45, http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Programs-and-
Projects/Freedom-from-discrimination/Building-on-our-strengths.aspx
4

Recommendation 2 – That the National Anti-Racism Strategy be implemented in close coordination with relevant agencies at the State as well as Federal level.
Research shows that while experiences of racism are prevalent in Australia, their occurrence varies across different locations and settings and often in specific ways.
6
Within Victoria, as across Australia, there are vast differences in the demographics of local communities. Although the most ethnically and religiously diverse areas of the
State continue to be located in the middle and inner suburbs of Melbourne, increasing numbers of new arrivals are settling in outer suburban, regional and rural areas. “Communities and organisations in these areas may have had limited contact with diverse groups in the past, which can create new challenges”.
7
In tackling racism, it is therefore important to consider the social and cultural context and the differing needs of particular localities.
8 This includes acknowledging that both the level and impetus for racism can change over time, with global events impacting on local communities, such as the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the
USA and increasing negative stereotyping and racism towards Muslim Australians, and the need to build community resilience to these impacts. The Mapping Social
Cohesion 2011 report shows that feelings towards immigrants varies depending on the nationality of the immigrants, with the highest negative feeling in Australia towards immigrants from Iraq and Lebanon.
9 It has also been suggested that there can be a link between the level of racism experienced across CALD groups “with reports of physical manifestations of anti-Semitism increasing at times of harassment of Asian Australians.” 10
Recommendation 3 – That the Commonwealth Government support locality-based approaches to supporting cultural diversity and preventing and preventing and reducing racism, building on the methodology of existing projects such as Victoria’s
Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) project.
Anti-racism campaign
A survey of residents in Australian cities found that the overwhelming majority supported the need for anti-racism initiatives and programs, with only five per cent saying there was no need for such action.
11
6 Dunn, K., et al. 2009, “Cities of race hatred? The spheres of racism and anti-racism in contemporary
Australian cities”,
Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Journal, Vol.1. No1. pg. 4.
7 VicHealth, 2009, Building on our Strengths, http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Programs-and-
Projects/Freedom-from-discrimination/Building-on-our-strengths.aspx
8 Pedersen A et al, “Talk does not cook rice”: Beyond anti-racism rhetoric to strategies for social action”,
Australian Psychologist, March 2005, 40(1): 20-30.
9 Scanlan Foundation, 2011, Mapping Social Cohesion: the Scanlan Foundation Surveys, Monash
University, Australia.
10 Jones, J., September 2011, Anti-Semitism Report 2011, Executive Council of Australian Jewry,
Sydney.
11 Warren as cited in Dunn, K., et al. 2009, “Cities of race hatred? The spheres of racism and antiracism in contemporary Australia n cities”, Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Journal, Vol.1. No1. pg. 4.
5

The VMC believes that a campaign to prevent and reduce racism must be based around an acknowledgement of the existence of racism at an everyday level, as well as in more extreme forms. Research shows that “evasiveness or the downplaying of racial inequality” can create a supportive environment for racism, leading to its increase and prevalence.
12
VMC consultations with multicultural community organisations highlighted the linkages between political discourse and community views, for example on refugees and asylum seekers, and the need for politicians and other leaders across religion, sport, business and the community to take a proactive stance to speaking out in support of cultural, linguistic and religious diversity and to denounce incidents of racism.
Recommendation 4 - That the Commonwealth Government develop an “anti-racism pledge” including a commitment across Parliament and other community, sporting,
business and religious leaders.
Drawing on strong political and community leadership, an anti-racism campaign should involve a coordinated national approach that supports tailored campaigns at the local level, utilising a range of mediums such as social media, advertising, information kits, and forums and events. The purpose of such a campaign should include:
 combating false beliefs around migrants, refugees, CALD communities and
Indigenous Australians by providing accurate information and highlighting and valuing their contributions to Australian society;
 increasing empathy by encouraging people to “walk in the shoes of others”.
Studies show that empathy is positively associated with lower levels of prejudice and there is some evidence that building empathy can bring about attitudinal change; 13
 encouraging dialogue and discussion on racism and its negative effects; and
 encouraging people to take personal responsibility for racism, including practical tools for responding to racism.
Recommendation 5 - That a national anti-racism campaign be developed that draws on leadership across all sectors of society and the stories of individuals to build responsibility, empathy and disdain for racism, highlighting its negative effects at the individual, institutional, community and societal level and practical tools for responding to racism.
Acknowledging the contributions of diverse communities
As well as creating an awareness of racism and how it affects individuals and the broader community, there is a need to promote a greater understanding of the
12 Warren as cited in Dunn, K., et al. 2009, “Cities of race hatred? The spheres of racism and anti-racism in contemporary Australian cities”,
Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Journal, Vol.1. No1. pg. 5.
13 VicHealth, 2009, Building on our Strengths, pg. 31, http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Programs-and-
Projects/Freedom-from-discrimination/Building-on-our-strengths.aspx
6

benefits that cultural and linguistic diversity brings to Australia, from an economic, social and cultural point of view, and as a way to strengthen our international links.
Cultural, linguistic and religious diversity has long played a determining role in the character of life in Victoria. Migrants and refugees have made, and continue to make, a significant contribution to Victoria’s society, economy and global competitiveness. Both emerging and established communities contribute to the
State’s vibrancy and prosperity and foster important connections with the rest of the world.
A recent report commissioned by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship
(DIAC) on the Economic, Social and Civic Contributions of First and Second Generation
Humanitarian Entrants found that humanitarian settlers:
 meet many of the labour shortages in low skill, low status and low paid occupations;
 display greater entrepreneurial qualities compared with other migrant groups, with a higher than average proportion engaging in small and medium business enterprises; and
 facilitate the development of trade between Australia and countries of origin.
14
However, the significant contribution of migrants and refugees to Australia are not always understood and there are some negative myths in Australian society, such that migrants and refugees are a welfare burden on the state. There is a need to refute such myths and highlight the economic, social and cultural contribution of migrants and refugees.
The Immigration Museum in Victoria provides an important space for exploring the stories of people from all over the world who have migrated to Australia, including the reasons for making the journey, the migration process, and the impact on indigenous communities. Such exhibitions could be drawn on to create resources that combine historical information, personal stories and research on the contribution of migrants and refugees from an economic, social and cultural perspective.
Recommendation 6 – That the Commonwealth Government implement education initiatives to promote greater understanding of the contribution of migrants and refugees to Australia, including:
 a grants program to assist community groups to deliver educational initiatives on the migration process and the benefits cultural, linguistic and religious diversity brings Australia; and
 a travelling road-show on Australia’s migration history and the contribution of migrants and refugees to Australia today.
14 Department of Immigration and Citizenship, 2011, A Significant Contribution: The Economic, Social and Civic Contributions of First and Second Generation Humanitarian Entrants, http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/research/_pdf/CACHE_DUVIE=2e2b4723afa933aa3000954
7b6a2f7f1/economic-social-civic-contributions-booklet2011.pdf
7

There is also a need for greater recognition of the contributions of individuals and organisations that promote the social, economic and cultural benefits of CALD communities. This occurs in Victoria through an annual Multicultural Awards for
Excellence ceremony hosted by the Governor of Victoria.
Recommendation 7 - That a national multicultural awards program be established, recognising contributions across community service, business, the media, the arts and sport.
Recommendation 8 - that governments at all levels include programs and initiatives to encourage CALD communities to contribute to all facets of Australian life.
Objective 2: Identify, promote and build on good practice initiatives to prevent and reduce racism
The VMC supports the areas highlighted in the Discussion Paper for addressing racism – employment, education, sport, the media and cyber-racism, and believes that the National Anti-Racism Partnership and Strategy can provide a coordinated approach for initiatives within such sectors, as well as across such sectors at the local level. The VMC also recognises the existence of racism and discrimination in other sectors. In particular, VMC community consultations highlight experiences of discrimination facing CALD groups in the rental housing market, with rental applications being continuously rejected. While not exhaustive, highlighted below are particular areas and initiatives to prevent and reduce racism.
Employment and workplaces
Research highlights that employment and workplaces are important settings for preventing and reducing racism in Australia, both because they are places in which racism and discrimination exist, and in which anti-racism, anti-discrimination and cultural diversity can be supported and enhanced.
15 In this sense, workplaces provide a natural environment for contact between people from diverse backgrounds and are places where social norms are shaped.
16
Harnessing Diversity, a VMC and VEOHRC report from 2008, found evidence of racial and religious discrimination in employment including discrimination in recruitment; underemployment and lack of recognition of qualifications; discrimination and disadvantage in accessing and utilising job search agencies; over-representation of migrants in low-skilled, low paid employment and in the public sector; and bias against migrants in promotion.
17 Statistics demonstrate significant inequalities
15 VicHealth, 2009, Review of audit and assessment tools, programs and resources in workplace settings to prevent race-based discrimination and support, pg. 30 diversity.
http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/en/Publications/Freedom-from-discrimination/Addressing-racebased-discrimination-in-workplaces.aspx
16 Ibid.
17 VEOHRC and VMC, 2008, Harnessing Diversity, http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=572:harnessin g-diversity-report-addressing-racial-and-religious-discrimination-in-employment-report&Itemid=690
8

between the employment levels of CALD groups compared with total Victorians, with, for example an unemployment rate of the Sudan-born at 38.2 per cent compared to an unemployment rate of 5.4 per cent for total Victoria (2006 Census).
Experiences of racism and discrimination in employment are also commonly raised in
VMC community consultations, with individuals saying they have been refused interviews or employment opportunities despite possessing the necessary qualifications and experience. Feedback also emphasises the need for both the
Government and employers to proactively advocate the benefits of a diverse workforce.
The VMC believes there is a need to facilitate a greater equality of opportunity and an increased understanding and valuing of cultural diversity within both public and private sector workplaces.
Analysis of employment in the public sector, at all levels, show the overrepresentation of Anglo-Australians and the under-representation of other groups.
While people born in non-English speaking countries constituted about 21 per cent of the Australian population in 2006, they constituted only 6 per cent of the
Australian Public Service.
18
Recommendation 9 - That all levels of Government lead by example by adopting employment strategies to encourage greater representation of people with CALD backgrounds within the public service.
Within the private sector, the VMC believes there is a role for government in promoting the equity and human rights imperatives, as well as the business benefits from enhancing cultural diversity in the workplace, such as language skills, global understanding and links, and new processes and solutions to problem solving. This could occur through the development of a standard for businesses in “cultural responsiveness”, with businesses that adhere to certain criteria including a diverse workforce, and policies, initiatives and training to support and embrace diversity, being awarded a “standard” that they can promote. Such an initiative would require ongoing monitoring to ensure businesses continually review and improve their practices, and to develop tools and good-practice case studies to support businesses in reaching the standard.
Recommendation 10 – That the Commonwealth Government support the development of a “cultural responsiveness” standard for business, including targeted, practical support for small and medium sized businesses to assist them to reach the standard.
18 Australian Public Service Commission, 2010 as cited in Dunn K and Nelson
J, 2011, “Challenging the
Public Denial of Racism for a Deeper Multiculturalism”, Journal of Intercultural Studies, Vol. 32, No. 6.
9

Media and cyber-racism
Media analyses demonstrate evidence of the misrepresentation and underrepresentation of migrants, refugees and CALD communities in the mainstream media in Australia, and such views have also been raised in VMC community consultations.
19 The Australian Psychological Society highlights issues with the way
CALD communities are portrayed including stereotyping and under-representation in
Australian television drama programs and children’s programming.
20 A review of
Australia’s television current affairs by Murdoch University found that diversity of race, culture and religion is largely absent from the news services, unless people from CALD backgrounds are posing a social problem of some kind.
21
While media agencies often have standards in place to promote diversity, such as within broadcasting codes of practice, there is a need for greater action to ensure a more accurate representation of migrants, refugees and CALD communities within the media, in recognition of the important role of the media in the generation of public debate, ideas and cultural understanding.
Recommendation 11 – That media organisations put in place cultural diversity plans to support codes of practice, including:
 cultural competency training for journalists and media producers;
 best-practice guides for journalists; and
 staff exchanges with ethnic media organisations.
The rise of the internet, and social media in particular, has changed the ways in which people communicate: enabling ideas and images to spread quickly between large numbers of people across the world.
22 Internationally, the number of internet and new media sites devoted to racism and hate has found to be on the increase.
23
More broadly, everyday racism exists online, as it does offline, such as racial stereotyping and racist remarks on Facebook and other social media platforms.
The principal mechanism for internet content regulation in Australia is set out in the
Broadcasting Services Act. Individuals can make complaints to the Australian
Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) about prohibited content and the
ACMA may issue a notice requiring the content to be removed from the internet.
However, the ACMA system has several limitations in combating racism on the internet. These include:

Prohibited content does not include content that constitutes racial vilification or discrimination. The Broadcasting Services Act only regulates content that
19 Dunn, K, & Nelson, J, December 2011, “Challenging the Public Denial of Racism for a Deeper
Multiculturalism”,
Journal of Intercultural Studies, Vol. 32, No. 6, pg. 588.
20 Australian Psychological Society, 2000, Media Representation of Ethnic Groups, http://www.psychology.org.au/assets/files/media_representations_of_ethnic_groups.pdf
21 Murdoch University, 2009, Reporting diversity: the representation of ethnic minorities in Australia’s television current affairs, http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/4630/
22 Australian Human Rights Commission, January 2011, Cyber Racism and Human Rights Fact Sheet, http://www.hreoc.gov.au/racial_discrimination/publications/cyberracism_factsheet.html
23 Ibid.
10

constitutes racial vilification or discrimination by way of codes of practice.
The codes of practice simply set out procedures to be followed in order to inform producers of internet content about their legal responsibilities in relation to that content.
 The ACMA is dependent on complaints from Australian citizens. No one is responsible for identifying or monitoring offensive material on the internet.
 The ACMA can only issue take-down notices to Australian sites but Australian material comprises only a very small proportion of the sites accessed by
Australians.
The Racial and Religious Tolerance Act (Vic) covers vilifying conduct using the internet or email to publish or transmit statements or other material. The RRTA also covers conduct occurring in or outside Victoria. While there is no express provision in the Racial Discrimination Act (Cth) which states that it applies to the use of the internet or to conduct that occurs in or outside of Australia, case law indicates that it does (see Dow Jones & Co v Gutnick (2002) HCA 56). However, Victoria and
Australia’s current racial vilification laws have so far proved ineffective in dealing with hate content on the internet, even when the perpetrators have been identified.
24
In general, there are practical difficulties in relation to the enforcement of internet regulation because, by being both international and anonymous in its nature, the internet makes it difficult to identify authors and even more difficult to prosecute.
25
Recommendation 12 – That the Commonwealth Government undertake a national review of legislative and policy responses for regulating internet-related racism.
The VMC recognises that legislation cannot be the only response to racism on the internet. Rather, there is a need for a multi-faceted approach to internet content including developing anti-racism web-based resources; active partnerships between internet service providers and government; and educational strategies to ensure
Victorian and Australian internet users are aware of complaint procedures available through the ACMA to report offensive material.
Recommendation 13 – That the Commonwealth Government develop online strategies and resources to create awareness of cyber-racism and ways to respond to it including responding directly online and avenues for reporting and complaints.
24 Deborah Stone, August 2008, To hate, click here: anti-Semitism on the internet, Anti-Defamation
Commission.
25 Ibid.
11

Education and youth
Research on the impact of racism on the health and wellbeing of young Australians found that the majority of racist incidents faced by young Australians take place within school settings. Such incidents are common, with 70 per cent of the 823 secondary school students surveyed having experienced at least one of eleven specified racist scenarios.
26
Racism in schools must be tackled given its negative effects on individuals experiencing racism - stress, insecurity and absenteeism - and on the learning environment more broadly - generating tensions within school communities and narrowing the education experience of all students.
27 The Foundation for Young
Australia highlights the need for well-targeted professional development of teachers, school leaders and administrative staff on the effect of personal attitudes and structural racism on the health and wellbeing of the broader school community.
There is also a need to encourage greater engagement of youth and students from different cultural and religious backgrounds. The Building Bridges Program, run by
The WellSpring Centre with support by the VMC/Office of Multicultural Affairs, aims to build trust, understanding and friendship between secondary school students of different cultural and religious backgrounds, through dialogue and the sharing of views and experiences, intercultural training, visits to sacred sites and places of worship and active participation in multicultural society. The program is working with over 30 Victorian schools including Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Christian and
Government schools.
28 Sport can also provide an excellent vehicle for establishing norms of behaviour for wider society, and for encouraging participation and engagement across cultural groups.
29 More broadly, initiatives to bring together students from different cultural backgrounds should include the teaching of strategies for students to be aware of their prejudices and to respond to incidents of racism.
Recommendation 14 - That governments provide increased support for anti-racism strategies in schools, including professional development of teachers and school leaders, and activities to teach students ways to respond to incidents of racism.
Recommendation 15 – That the Commonwealth Government increase support for programs encouraging greater participation and engagement of youth from different cultural backgrounds, such as through sport, and in particular targeting disengaged or marginalised youth, to help strengthen community connections.
26 Deakin University and Foundation for Young Australians, 2009, The Impact of Racism upon the
Health and Wellbeing of Young Australians, http://www.fya.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2010/05/CACHE_DUVIE=3702eb21ff5a51df2791f599b28a1afe/Impact_of_Racism_FY
A_report.pdf
27 NSW Department of Education and Training, Racism: No Way, http://www.racismnoway.com.au/
28 For further information visit: http://buildingbridgesmelbourne.wordpress.com/
29 Australian Human Rights Commission, 2007,
What’s the score? A survey of cultural diversity and racism in Australian Sport, http://www.hreoc.gov.au/racial_discrimination/whats_the_score/index.html
12

Good-practice anti-racism website
To help coordinate anti-racism action and initiatives and promote good practice across sectors and localities, the VMC supports the suggestion put forward in the
Discussion Paper for a good practice anti-racism website. This could build on existing websites such as Racism, No Way, which provides information and resources for anti-racism education in Australian schools 30 and Everyday People, Every Day Rights, which provides a space for the Yarra community in Melbourne to share their stories and learn about how human rights apply to everyday life.
31
Recommendation 16 – That a good-practice anti-racism website be established with examples of tools, initiatives and case studies for preventing and reducing racism for both individuals and organisations across different sectors: workplaces, the media, schools, sport and online.
Objective 3: Empower communities and individuals to take action to prevent and reduce racism and seek redress when it occurs
A strong policy framework and initiatives at the national, state and local level can play an important role in preventing and reducing racism, however, it is also important to empower communities and individuals to take action and seek redress when racism does occur whether in the street, at sporting events, in school yards or the workplace.
In most cases, individuals do not take action in response to a racist incident. A survey of Australian cities found that of those that had experienced a racist name or remark, almost 70 per cent did nothing about the incident.
32 This is concerning given those that take no action in response to racist incidents are more likely to suffer associated health issues.
33
Research shows that people with racist attitudes partly justify their behaviour by overestimating that those around them share their view.
34 There is therefore a need to encourage people witnessing racism to speak out and calmly let those around them know they disagree with their actions or remarks. To encourage such behaviour, individuals and communities need to be made aware of the benefits of intervening (i.e. so as to counteract the negative social and economic effects of racism) and tools for doing so, such as conversational skills or “catch phrases”. For example, the US-based Southern Poverty Law Centre produced Speak up!
30 New South Wales Department of Education and Training, See website at: http://www.racismnoway.com.au/
31 Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and Neighbourhood Justice Centre. See website at: http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&layout=generic
&tag=Race&task=tag&Itemid=511
32 Warren as cited in Dunn, K., et al. 2009, “Cities of race hatred? The spheres of racism and antiracism in contemporary Australian cities”, Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Journal, Vol.1. No1. pg. 5.
33 VicHealth, 2009, Building on our Strengths, pg. 31, http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Programs-and-
Projects/Freedom-from-discrimination/Building-on-our-strengths.aspx
34 Brice-Weller, P & Paradies, Y, How should we discuss racism in Australia?
Right Now: Human Rights in Australia, http://rightnow.org.au/writing-cat/article/how-should-we-discuss-racism-in-australia/
13

Responding to everyday bigotry which presents six steps for speaking up against everyday bigotry, drawing on personal stories and setting out suggested responses to counter common stereotypes and misconceptions.
35
Recommendation 17 - That a national anti-racism campaign promote the importance of responding to racism in a safe manner, and practical tools for doing so for both individuals experiencing racism and those witnessing racism.
There is also a need to ensure individuals are aware of their rights and the avenues through which they can report racist incidents, whether to the police or human rights commissions at the state and national level. Research highlights that individuals often do not feel comfortable or supported to report incidents to such organisations, and alternative reporting avenues should therefore be considered. For example, the Victoria Police and the Victorian Jewish community have established a system to encourage the reporting of anti-Semitic incidents. Members of the community can report incidents both directly to the police and to the Community
Security Group who then work in partnership to identify trends and ensure appropriate protection to the Jewish community.
Recommendation 18 – That a national anti-racism campaign promote awareness of existing racial and religious vilification laws to ensure those affected understand their rights.
Recommendation 19 – That governments support the development of third party reporting procedures to encourage greater reporting of racially-motivated hate activity and crime.
A study by the Australian Institute of Criminology found that migrants were more likely to feel that assaults and threats perpetrated against them were raciallymotivated, and were more likely to be worried about experiencing a racially-based attack in the future.
36 Providing support to culturally and linguistically diverse communities, particularly to new and emerging communities, can help strengthen these communities and reduce feelings of vulnerability to victimisation. Participants at VMC community consultations emphasised the importance of education programs for CALD communities, to strengthen their understanding of Victoria as a culturally diverse society and their citizenship rights. OMAC has recently commenced a Rights and Responsibilities Seminar Program to provide new and emerging communities with practical information, for example, about rights and responsibilities in the workplace, the role of police, and how laws are made in Victoria/Australia. OMAC is also supporting the African Think Tank to deliver an African Community Leadership
Program over the next three years. The Program will incorporate a series of seminars for future leaders, focusing on advocacy, mentoring, grant writing and media engagement.
35 Southern Poverty Law Centre, Speak Up: Responding to Everyday Bigotry, http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/publications/speak-up-responding-to-everyday-bigotry?page=0,35
36 Johnson, H, August 2005,
‘Experiences of crime in two selected migrant communities’,
Trends and
Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, Australian Institute of Criminology, No. 302, pp. 1
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Recommendation 20 – That the Commonwealth Government provide support for public advocacy skills and community education programs for new and emerging communities.
There is also a need to encourage greater interaction between people of different racial, ethnic, cultural and religious groups across Australia. At VMC community consultations, participants discussed the need to bring together communities and dedicate more resources toward promoting mutual respect and understanding between cultures, with the dual benefits of increasing unity and understanding between communities, and strengthening cross-community networks and support services to assist newly arrived migrants and refugees.
The Victorian Government provides support for such initiatives including the
Multifaith Multicultural Youth Network and Multifaith Grants. In addition, the Unity
Through Partnership grants provide support for festivals and events that foster cross-cultural connections by encouraging organisations from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds to work in partnership. There are also good examples of community initiatives such as the Islamic Council of Victoria organising an informal anti-vilification group with representatives from different religious groups between
2002 and 2004. Group members would share information and consult with each other on how to respond to religious attacks. This was seen to empower all groups to speak out in support of one another.
Recommendation 21 – That the Commonwealth Government provide increased support for intercultural and interfaith programs which strengthen links between different segments of society.
Finally, there is a need for government at all levels to encourage members of the community to discuss issues of racism and how it can best be prevented and responded too. Research shows that it is more effective to have participants engage in dialogue, rather than being “talked at” in relation to racism and anti-racism.
37 For example, a forum for respondents from across Australia to discuss issues regarding
Indigenous Australians and reconciliation found that after intense discussion, there were marked shifts in reported knowledge of Indigenous concerns and increased support for reconciliation.
38 Such forums should encourage understanding, mutual respect and ongoing dialogue.
Recommendation 22 – That government at all levels support public forums to encourage greater cultural understanding, the promotion of multiculturalism and discussion on racism and its impacts, including around memorable dates such as the
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
37 Pedersen A et al, “Talk does not cook rice”: Beyond anti-racism rhetoric to strategies for social action”,
Australian Psychologist, March 2005, 40(1): 20-30.
38 Ibid.
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Appendix 1
Principles of Multiculturalism
Multicultural Victoria Act 2011 (Part 2, Section 4)
(1) The Parliament recognises that the people of Victoria are united in their shared commitment to—
(a) a democratic framework governed by the rule of law; and
(b) Victoria and Australia and to the people, interests and future of
Victoria and Australia.
(2) The Parliament further recognises that all Victorians come from diverse backgrounds and values the richness that such diversity brings to the Victorian community.
(3) The Parliament supports the rights and responsibilities of citizenship to which subsection (1) refers and promotes the diversity to which subsection (2) refers by recognising the following principles of multiculturalism —
(a) all individuals in Victoria are entitled to mutual respect and understanding regardless of their diverse backgrounds;
(b) all individuals and institutions in Victoria should promote and preserve diversity within the context of shared laws, values, aspirations and responsibilities;
(c) all individuals in Victoria (regardless of background) have shown that they can work together to build a positive and progressive future and this co-operation is to be encouraged so as to enhance Victoria as a great place in which to live;
(d) all individuals in Victoria are equally entitled to access opportunities and participate in and contribute to the social, cultural, economic and political life of the State;
(e) all individuals in Victoria have a responsibility to abide by the
State's laws and respect the democratic processes under which those laws are made;
(f) all individuals in Victoria should be united in a shared commitment to Australia and to community service;
(g) all individuals and institutions should recognise Victoria's diversity as an asset and a valuable resource benefiting Australia.
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