There is no place for racism in the ACT, believes Tara Cheyne, ACT Minister for Human Rights and Multicultural Affairs.

Canberra is one of Australia’s most culturally and linguistically diverse cities, Ms Cheyne said. According to the 2016 Census, more than 26 per cent of ACT residents were born overseas, and more than 24 per cent of residents speak a language other than English at home, while 26,000 overseas born residents settled in the ACT between 2011 and 2016. She expected the 2021 census results to continue this trend.

But Canberra’s multicultural communities said this week they were worried racism was on the rise in the ACT, and they were being targeted, and even blamed for the pandemic.

“It is against the law to vilify a person or group on the grounds of race,” Ms Cheyne said. “Racism is a community responsibility, and people should call out racism at every opportunity when it is safe to do so.”

If people experience racism or racial vilification, or witness these behaviours, they can report it to the ACT Human Rights Commission (HRC) through their website, by calling 6205 2222, or on social media.

ACT puts multiculturalism into law

Earlier this year, the ACT Government announced it would pass a new law, the Multicultural Recognition Act, to enshrine into law the Multicultural Advisory Council (established in 2017, a crucial link between Canberra’s culturally diverse communities, the ACT Government and the wider community); and to create a Multicultural Charter, codifying key principles of a successful multicultural society. Governments, businesses, and communities will use these principles to make assessments about whether multiculturalism is being advanced within their community.

The ACT Government expects the new Act will be enacted by April. They are drafting the legislation in preparation for community consultation in November and December 2021.

Ms Cheyne said the Multicultural Recognition Act would complement the Human Rights Act 2004 and the Discrimination Act 1991 by providing a clearly stated vision for, and expectation of, an ACT where the cultural and linguistic diversity of all residents is valued and recognised.

“The Multicultural Charter will be a rights-based values statement for the ACT explicitly detailing expected societal norms with the ACT Human Rights Act and the Discrimination Act, enabling enforcement action to be taken against individuals, employers, and organisations when a person’s rights – including social, political, and cultural rights – are not protected or respected,” she said.

Complaints of racism have remained steady: Human Rights Commission

The Commission said the number of complaints about racial discrimination or vilification had remained relatively steady over the last couple of years. 47 complaints were made in 2020–21: more than in 2018/19, when 39 complaints were made; fewer than in 2019/20, when 58 complaints were made. 83 enquiries were made about race discrimination and racial vilification in 2020/21: contacts from community where the HRC provides information about jurisdiction, options for them to address their concerns, and referrals where appropriate.

Discrimination complaints processes were only one mechanism available to people to respond to concerns about racism; they could also talk to media, police, or community advocates.

Media coverage of these incidents had increased over the last few years, the Commission said, because people felt confident to bring matters to the community’s attention, while technology enabled people to record or upload pictures and videos of incidents.

Human Rights Commission reaches multicultural Canberrans

Some Canberrans from diverse backgrounds, it has been claimed, might not be aware they can report incidents of racism to the Human Rights Commission.

But the HRC said people will easily find information online about their role in handling complaints about alleged racism in Canberra.

The HRC regularly appears in the media on issues regarding concerns about racism; it sends posters and brochures to community groups and facilities such as libraries; and it has announcements on community radio in different languages inviting people to raise concerns about racism. It also regularly invites concerns about racism and other forms of discrimination on social media.  

Does the ACT need a racism education campaign?

Muslim spokeswoman Diana Abdel-Rahman OAM has suggested the ACT needs an education campaign like the Australian Human Rights Commission’s ‘Racism. It Stops With Me’ program to remind the public that racism is not acceptable.

The ACT Commission agreed that a national campaign would be helpful to continue to highlight the issues of people’s experiences of racism.

The AHRC is working on a refreshed National Anti-Racism Strategy, as announced by Race Commissioner Chin Tan in March, which the ACT Government openly welcomed. The HRC anticipates a refreshed anti-racism campaign may be part of that framework.  The HRC would support the government in promoting an anti-racism campaign and the ongoing promotion of Canberra as a diverse, fair, and inclusive community.

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