Australian Parliament House. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The Human Rights Commission has joined with unions, academics and community leaders in calling for the first national inquiry into racism in the workplace.
Gathering at Parliament House, Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman and Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O’Neil said an inquiry focusing specifically on racism in Australian workplaces was needed.
They were joined by University of Technology Sydney’s Nareen Young from the Jumbanna Institute, which aims to produce the highest quality research on Indigenous legal and policy issues.
Social justice advocates and other attendees discussed the proposed inquiry at a Parliament House roundtable hosted by Mr Sivaraman, Ms O’Neil and Professor Young.
The group wants an inquiry to examine barriers to employment faced by First Nations people and other racialised communities.
It will also explore strategies to address growing reports of what the commission is describing as systemic discrimination, exploitation and hostility in workplaces targeting these people.
“Racism in the workplace is not just a personal injustice, it’s a national issue that undermines safety, wellbeing, fairness, opportunity and productivity,” commissioner Sivaraman said.
“This roundtable is a vital step toward confronting the systemic barriers that persist across industries.
“A national inquiry will help us uncover the scale of the problem and chart a path toward safer, more inclusive workplaces for all Australians.”
Wednesday’s roundtable also focused on ways to improve the work experiences of minority employees from racialised communities; how to address the issue of mismatched skills and underemployment; and tackle racism in job advertising and recruitment practices.
Workplace culture, cultural safety and racism was also discussed; as was discrimination and its effects on being employed and what factor it plays in premature exit from employment.
“We cannot build fair and productive workplaces while racism continues to shape who gets hired, who gets promoted, and who feels safe at work,” Ms O’Neil said.
“First Nations workers, migrants and refugees have long faced exclusion, exploitation and discrimination. This inquiry is a vital step toward justice and equity.”
The group said the inquiry should join others that have succeeded in standing against racism and workplace harassment.
These include the 1991 National Inquiry into Racist Violence in Australia; the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces resulting in the landmark Respect@Work report (2020) and Respect@Work Act (2022); and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces review which resulted in the Set the Standard report (2021).
“Findings from our most recent Gari Yala report show First Nations employees are not only facing racism and increased cultural load, but they are also being retraumatised for simply asserting their right to be safe at work,” said Professor Young, also associate dean at UTS Business School’s Indigenous Leadership.
“It’s time for coordinated action to address the root cause and recommend remedies for systemic racism in our workplaces.”
The roundtable builds on the Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Anti-Racism Framework, which sets out a shared vision for eliminating racism in all areas of Australian life.
The framework offers a roadmap to help government, business and civil society unite to address racism in all its forms. It includes research and insights from consultations with First Nations and multicultural communities.
