Serious verbal racism is increasing in the ACT, believes Canberra Liberals MLA Giulia Jones, who this week asked for a meeting with the ACT Human Rights Commissioner to help ACT ethnic communities report discrimination.

“An effective method for reporting and recording of racist incidents must be as available as soon as possible,” Mrs Jones wrote. “I would like to assist with this process to bring this damaging behaviour into the light and to relieve victims of the burden it causes.”

Earlier this week, Mrs Jones met multicultural and Indigenous community leaders to discuss the apparent rise in racist incidents and existing methods for reporting them. Last month, ethnic leaders told the MLA that racial abuse had spiked during down lockdown, and their communities were being vilified for having COVID-19.

Mrs Jones told the Human Rights Commissioner, Dr Helen Watchirs, she was concerned to hear the communities were unclear how to report racist incidents.

Racist incidents often did not meet the criteria for a police response, and the Human Rights Commission’s complaints process was difficult to navigate for non-native English speakers, Mrs Jones wrote.

The ACT Discrimination Commissioner, Karen Toohey, said she was disappointed to learn that community leaders suggested it was difficult to report experiences of racism in the ACT.

“We try to make it as simple as we can to lodge a complaint,” Ms Toohey said.

The Commission also advertises on community radio in Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Arabic, and Tamil.

The number of discrimination complaints made had increased from 78 in 2016–17 to 218 in 2020–21 – proof, Ms Toohey said, that the Commission worked hard to make their services accessible.

Complaints of alleged race discrimination or vilification made up 21 per cent of the Commission’s discrimination complaints – comparable to or higher than other equal opportunity commissions around Australia, she said.

Ms Toohey encouraged all Canberrans to report any instances of racism or racial vilification, or any other type of discrimination experienced in the ACT, to the Commission. Complaints can be made by calling 6205 2222, emailing [email protected], or filling in a simple form on their website at www.hrc.act.gov.au.

“We understand people do not always think a complaint is the best way to deal with experiences of racism, but people who make a complaint often find it to be a useful and empowering process,” Ms Toohey said.

People can ask a support person, an advocate, or community representative to help them contact the Commission. They can also ask about options to address their concerns before they make a complaint, she said.

Ms Toohey said she looked forward to working with community members to ensure the complaint process was accessible to all Canberrans.

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