Combatting Racism - Can We Still Be Confident? An Overview ...



Combatting Racism – Can We Still Be Confident? An Overview Of Racism And Discrimination In 1993

Each year the Australian Council of Trade unions provides an overview for its affiliates on racism and discrimination developments.

Our assessment last year suggested that Australia was perhaps winning the battle against racism.

Can and should that confidence be maintained?

Two major national assessments during the past year concluded that

❖ “It is a credit to Australian social policy and to the Australia people in general that this cultural diversity has been achieved in a relatively short period of time with so little obvious friction or social dislocation” (State of the Nation: A report on people of non English speaking backgrounds (I. Moss, AGPS 1993)

❖ “While Australia remains, overall, a tolerant society where racism is understood to be both anti-social and anti-democratic, the presence of pathological, cultural religious, or political predispositions to acting in racist… ways, is a matter for concern, although not for panic or overreaction” (Annual Reports 1993, Executive Council of Australian Jewry).

This overview specifically focuses on the experiences of Australians born overseas and not the Aboriginal community. It is recognised, however, that racism and discrimination in Australia, in fact can only be understood in the context of the brutal dispossession of the Aboriginal community from their land.

This overview, then, with its focus on the response of Australian institutions to overseas born Australians is based on an analysis of press reports, state and federal government departments’ and agencies’ annual reports, as well as research studies.

PARADOX

Evidence on discrimination and racism in Australia is complex and contradictory.

One study suggests that “40% of Australian university students believed their fellow students were racist.” (AJN 5.3.93), while another indicates that the issue is not among the top five issues of concern for young people (AYI National Youth Survey 1993). One survey sees a “massive 49 per cent increase” in racist incidents of violence and vandalism while another concludes that there has been “a decline in the occurrence of incidents”

Almost all of the State Government equal opportunity commissions/anti discrimination boards report a significant increase in complaints of discrimination and racism in the workplace. Yet annual report after report of Federal Government departments, indicate only one or two formal complaints of discrimination in their departments.

On the one hand, each of the State government agencies concludes that the racism and discrimination in the workplace is endemic, yet after nearly ten years there is no national strategy in place to combat such discrimination. One meeting of the National Committee on Discrimination in Employment took place in 1993; it has little administrative support and no resources.

A national strategy, developed both formally and informally, is in place to combat sexual harassment in the workplace, but no such strategy, built on ILO Conventions, is in place to respond to racism in the workplace.

There continues to be no national, agreed collection and analysis of data, and scant evidence of effective federal – state collaborative strategies in combating racism.

Confronted then by

• the State Government’s attack on the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission

• the Federal Government’s delay of the racial vilification legislation

• the continuing budget cuts to state equal opportunity commissions and antidiscrimination boards

• the continuing administrative and financial rift between the NSW Anti Discrimination Board and Human Rights Australia, and

• the increasing number of inquiries and complaints,

can Australia still be confident in its commitment and strategies in combating discrimination and racism?

ASSESSMENT

It continues to be extraordinary difficult to make an assessment on whether or not racism is increasing, or whether or not the agencies that have been established are effective. The most comprehensive “state of the nation” analysis was completed in 1993 by Irene Moss, the Federal Race Discrimination Commissioner. (State of the Nation. A report on people of non English speaking backgrounds, AGPS).

This was an innovative, courageous first attempt “to monitor and assess the progress towards achieving true social justice for people of non English speaking backgrounds in accordance with Australia’s human rights obligations.”

In addition to this report, the following Federal Government reports provide evidence of racism and discrimination:

• Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission Annual Report

• Public Service Commissioner’s Annual Report (including a Report on Equal Opportunity Throughout the Service)

• ‘Appoint’ Reports published by Prime Minister and Cabinet on backgrounds, including birthplace, of people appointed to Federal Government advisory committees and boards

• Access and Equity Annual Report (Office of Multicultural Affairs)

• Annual Reports of Federal Government departments and agencies which are required to provide details on the implementation of their equal employment opportunity plans and access and equity programs, including birthplace backgrounds of people appointed to departmental advisory committees and boards).

At the State government level the most comprehensive data is provided by either the equal opportunity commissioner (e.g. Victorian) or anti discrimination board (eg. NSW). In some states there is a further division of responsibilities with a specific office established to promote equal opportunity in the public service (Director of Equal opportunity Tribunal provides additional information.

• Managing the Back Injury of Women from Non English Speaking Backgrounds, k. Clapham etc., National Women’s Consultative Council.

• Blue Collar and Byond: The experience of non English Speaking Background Women in the Australian labor force. C. Alcorso and G. Harrison, Commonwealth-State Council on Non English Speaking Background Women’s Issues.

• Retrenched Worker’s Rights Project, Ethnic Affairs Commission of NSW and Human Rights Australia.

• Underemployment, hidden Unemployment and Immigrants, M Wooden BIPR.

• A Framwork for the Delivery of Multicultural Serivices, I. Thompson, Anglican Homes for Elderly People.

These research studies were complemented by a major evaluation in 1993 of the Federal Government’s “Community Relations Strategy” set up in 1989 with a budget of nearly six million dollars.

The study is a damning report of how not to develop a national strategy. There was a “lack of preexisting baseline data”, “financial resources for evaluation were limited”, “the evaluation team was recruited when the form of the projects had already been finalised and in fact some… had already been completed,” a lack of attention was give “to the question of evaluation;” and only rarely did projects contain “formal evaluation procedures.” The evaluation team concluded that “there is little possibility give the design of the bulk of the projects of measuring the degree of impact…. This make it very difficult to assess in any other but an impressionistic way, whether impacts have been permanent or transitory.” (Community Relations Strategy: An evaluation (OMA)

Full credit, however, should be given to OMA (Office of Multicultural Affairs) for undertaking such an evaluation. Too many programs are set up without any attempt to analyse their effectiveness.

At the non government level, only the ‘Jewish Community’s central data base’ is able to produce any kind of national monitory of racism and discrimination developments on an annual basis. No other community, non government organisation or church attempts to utilise its national network in such a way.

The Annual Report of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, however, recognises the difficulties of such monitoring. In discussing incidents of violence, vandalism and intimidation of the Jewish community, it concludes, “it is difficult to give a comprehensive analysis of the reasons for the particular incidents… mainly due to the fact that most are carried out anonymously or with the use of fake names.”

Their data suffers the dilemmas and weaknesses of all complaints based data.

One is left with the conclusion that the monitoring of racism is fragmented, divided, and that there is seemingly, an unwillingness of all the agencies, government and not government, state or federal, to ever sit down and talk together let alone develop a national strategy!

LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS

A number of significant legislative developments occurred during the year under review:

1. Federal

The Federal Government made a number of “declarations” , enabling individuals who believe their rights to have been violated under

• the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, and,

• the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment,

to take their cases direct to the appropriate international treaty monitoring bodies (UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and the UN Committee Against Torture).

Declarations were also made under Article 21 of the Convention Against Torture, and under Article 14 of the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights, which permit other states to lodge complaints against Australia.

Early in the year Australia also declared that the,

• UN Convention in the Rights of the Child, and the,

• Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination based on Religion or Belief,

were international instruments relating to human rights for the purposes of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act.

(NB. Justice Elizabeth Evatt was elected to the UN Human Rights Committee).

It should also be noted that “the new Industrial Relations legislation introduced into Parliament at the end of 1993, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, colour, sex, marital status, family responsibilities, political opinion, national extraction and social origin.” (West Australian 11.12.93). The legislation also provides for an annual report on developments with bargaining, and in particular, its impact on women, part time workers and workers from non English speaking backgrounds.

During the year there was considerable debate on the Federal Government’s proposed racial vilification legislation. Most of the early written responses to the draft law were opposed to the legislation (AJN 29.1.93). In the end no further action took place in introducing the legislation.

2. State

At the State government level, the following action included:

1. WA

Amendments to the WA. Equal Opportunity Act 1984 relating to racial vilification commenced operation

2. NSW

The term ‘ethno religions’ was introduced into the definition of ‘race’ for the purposes of racial vilification, and financial penalties for offences of racial vilification were increased to $5000.

3. Victoria

A review of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act was undertaken by the Parliament.

4. Queensland

The first report of the Queensland Anti Discrimination Commission was table in Parliament.

5. N.T

The Anti-Discrimination Act 1992 came into effect in August with the appointment of an Anti Discrimination Commissioner.

EMPLOYMENT

Discrimination in the workplace is flourishing.

By far the majority of complaints to state equal opportunity commissions are employment related: 75 percent of complaints in Queensland relate to employment; in Western Australia employment related complaints constituted 71 percent; in NSW, 61 percent; and in Victoria 74 percent.

Its of interest to note that in Victoria, for the first time since 1988 it has been possible “to call up and analyse the extensive data recorded….. by the Attorney General’s Department… but due to design and retrieval flaws inaccessible until now.”

Of the 812 employment related complaints made in Victoria during 1992/93, 105 related to race, but were 26 percent of all race complaints. In NSW of the 847 employment related complaints, 143 related to race; and of the 285 race related complaints, 148 related to employment.

At the national level, of the 370 complaints formally lodged under the Federal Racial Discrimination Act (1975), 205 related to employment.

All, or most of the above information reflects the situation at a state level.

At the Federal level the most comprehensive analysis of employed related data is that provided in both the annual reports of Federal Government departments, and the annual report of the Public Service Commissioner.

Since the mid 1980’s all Federal Government departments have been required to develop, implement and report on their equal employment opportunity programs.

In 1992-1993 the Public Service Commissioner reported that there was:

• an increase in the number of women staff

• an increase in the number of Aboriginal staff

• numbers of non English speaking background staff remained the same, and that

• there was a reduction in the number of people with disabilities.

Even more surprising particularly given the significance of employment related complaints being recorded by State equal opportunity agencies, is the extremely low level of complaints recorded by Federal Government Departments. So for example:

• Transport and Communications: No formal complaints

• Industrial Relations: No formal complaints

• Arts and Administrative Services: One formal complaint

• Immigration and Ethnic Affairs: Four formal complaints

• Prime Minister and Cabinet: Two formal complaints

• Finance: No formal complaints

The stark differences between what is happening in the wide community and the Federal Public Service would appear to warrant further investigation.

A further glimpse into management attitudes to discrimination, particularly at the Federal Public Service level, is to be found in the reports available on appointments to advisory bodies and committees.

Again, Federal Government Departments are required to provide regular reports on such appointments. So for example:

• Transport and Commuications: Board and Executive appointments total 186 (1 male Aboriginal, 3 female NESB); of the 72 new appointments made during 1992-93, 9 were female (no Aboriginal, no NESB).

• Industrial Relations: Of the 141 new appointments made, 11 were women, and no Aboriginal or NESB person were appointed. NB. In 1992 of the 172 new appointments, 27 were women,/1 NESB, and no Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

• Arts and Administrative Services: Of the 115 new appointments (including re-appointments) 49 were female, 4 were Aboriginal and 6 were from non-English speaking backgrounds. Of the total 268 appointments only 12 were from a NESB.

• Attorney General: Of the 452 appointments, 84 are women. “One appointment identified as the EEO target group ‘Aboriginal’ and one is the EEO target group NESB”. During the year 58 appointments were made, of these 23 were women and one in the EEO target group ‘Aboriginal’. NB. In 1992 of the 96 appointments 15 were women. No appointments were identified as belonging to any other EEO group.

• Foreign Affairs and Trade: Of the total 237 appointments, 39 were female, there were no Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and ten NESB. All Chairs and deputy chairs were held by males. Of the 63 new appointments only 15 were female, no Aboriginal or NESB were appointed. NB. In 1992, of the 11 appointments, two were female and 3 from a NESB.

• Prime Minister and Cabinet: Of the total 175 appointments, 17 are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders and 23 from a NESB.

It should be noted, however, that not other section of the public service, possibly with the exception of NSW, would have any idea of the characteristics of the advisory boards/committees it sets up. No state government has in place a system such as that developed by the Commonwealth Government.

And no state government, has in place a strategy such as the expressed in the NSW Government’s “Charter of Principles for a Culturally Diverse Society.”

Information from Federal Government departments is difficult to analyse.

Many departments provide only limited information; eg. while Treasury supplies a gender analysis, there is no other EEO data supplied on graduate applications and acceptances; the Trade Union Training Authority and Worksafe Australia provide almost no data.

No information is supplied on promotion details of staff in terms of EEO criteria and no indication as to whether or not EEO groups are getting access to training. DAS, for example, has details of all of its staff who received Australian honours but provided little details on its overseas born workers.

No annual report provides any evidence that overseas born Australians or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are benefiting in terms of training and promotion as a result of the current EEO programs. Hoever, the Public Service Commissioner, in his report on equal employment opportunity in the whole service, nots that there was in fact a decline in the number of overseas born Australian workers (first generation) at the professional level (1988, 7.8%, 1992, 5.9%) while the second generation remained unchanged (1988, 7.0%, 1992, 7.0%)

The Federal Race Discrimination Commissioner reported that “there is considerable anecdotal evidence that people of non English speaking background believe that they either cannot apply for promotion, or are refused promotion because they are ethnically or socially different” (State of the Nation Report. 1993.. p 139)

The Department of Finance reported that “despite an increase in overall staff numbers, the number of staff in other EEO groups in unchanged.”

Its of interest to note that an agency committed to combating discrimination and promoting equal employment opportunity, the Affirmative Action Agency, employs no Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, no people with a disability and three overseas born Australians employed at the lower end of the salary structure.

A further dilemma is that frequently workplace harassment is defined only in gender terms. So, for example, Workplace Australia in its three year EEO program 1993-96, sets out in detail sexual harassment, but makes almost no reference to racial harassment.

As disturbing, are the conclusions of the 1993 Access and Equity Annual Report (“Access… implies that all who are entitled to a public service should face no barriers…. Equity implies that all who are entitled to government service provision should be equally likely to receive it if eligible”).

Reporting on the Industry Training Advisory Board (ITAB) network, is said,

• “In general, ITAB’s initiatives are handicapped by the lack of data base… that includes detailed, recent and accurate information on workers of non English Speaking and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background” (p. 11)

• “ITAB Executive Officers… do not always have a clear understanding of equity…. There is a widespread belief that affirmative action strategies are contrary to the merit principle” (p 12).

• The research concluded that the equity enhancing opportunities of the new training reform agenda have largely been interpreted in a monolingual, monocultural framework, and that this approach is a great barrier to equity.” (p13).

Some academics appear to avoid the whole issue of racism and discrimination. In discussing barriers to employment, one researcher concluded that either there were no jobs, or that the fault was with the job seeker; there was no suggestion that recruitment or selection procedures or the perceptions (prejudice, racism etc) of management may also play a role. (M. Wooden, Underemployment. Hidden Unemployment and Immigrants, BIPR 1993).

As Alcorso and Harrison note,

“Employer strategies of recruitment, including the definition of the ideal candidate, of job description, the choice of recruitment channels, the selection procedures and the actual application of selection criteria, may all work against the employment of NESB women” (Blue Collar and Byond, AGPS, 1993)

In the private sector, the Human Rights Australia, “State of the Nation” report, provides a good overview of some of the issues related to systemic discrimination experienced by these workers.

Most of the state government based equal opportunity commissions have in place strategic programs, to both assist those workers experiencing discrimination and racism in the workplace, as well as preventive programs. The NSW Anti Discrimination Board for example has produced a kit, ‘Smart Work’ and reports the “employers and service providers are increasingly using us to provide preventative policy advice and training for management and staff.”

In WA the Commission for Equal Opportunity probably best sums up not only the state situation, but what is also happening at the national level:

“little empirical work has been undertaken on the nature and extent fo racial harassment in the workplace. While there is a growing body of research that documents the incidence of sexual harassment at work, little attention has been paid either to the incidence of racial harassment, or its effect in the workplace or educational institutions. Certainly there are common features between sexual and racial harassment. However, the questions as to whether specific policies or procedures are required in racial harassment cases remains unanswered. (p. 59).

Her conclusions have an added significance when related to the Victorian Commissioner’s report, which saw race related employment complaints increase from 38 in 1990/1 to 110 in 1992/3.

Professor Leonie Still in her study in the private sector, raises even more disturbing questions. She concludes:

“EEO legislation has introduced change on the fringes but has not yet managed to effect major cultural change in organisations, “ she said.

“I think EEO has tended to degenerate into looking at practices and procedures instead of looking at value which underpin and shape an organisation.

“Companies has seen EEO is not the threat that they once perceived it to be, provided they pay lip service to it.” (Australian 30.11.93)

19.6.93)

TRADE UNIONS

Press reports such as the following, provide the context for trade union inolvement in combating racism and discrimination:

• ‘Bosses put migrants at higher risk” (Australia 17.5.93; article concerning health and safety in the workplace)

• “31 pc. Black jobless rate blamed on racist bosses, “ (Australian 30.4.93)

• ‘Sweat shops kill jobs: MP (Courier Mail 1.7.93); “…Vietnamese and Chinese migrants made up the majority of outworkers who were recruited and exploited”)

• ‘Bounced cheques and racism claimed: Employees left hight and dry…” (Canberra Times 11.3.93)

• ‘Bias case on foreign work skills, “ (Australian 2.3.93)

• ‘Trade unions fail to tackle racism at work-blacks’ (Courier Mail 3.5.93)

• ‘Slave Trade: Australia’s hidden sweatshops’ (SMH 19.6.93)

In responding to such situations the trade union movement has continued to develop more effective training materials. In South Australia, for example,

• the United Trades and Labor Council has produced, (in collaboration with the Commonwealth Department of Industrial Relations and the South Australian Minister for Multicultural Affairs), an industry resource guide, “Managing cultural diversity in the workplace,” and

• the Automotive, Metals and Engineering Union (AMEU) has produced for national use, a shop steward training course, “Cultural Awareness: How to communicate with workers of non English speaking background.”

Unions, in NSW, have cooperated with Human Rights Australia in developing a training program, “Diversity makes good business”. Other unions cooperated with the Office of Multicultural Affairs consultant, in developing what will be a program targeted at managers, “Bet Practice in Managing Cultural Diversity”

Individual unions, such as the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, (MEAA) have specialised staff, “conducting cross cultural awareness training for staff, interested members and delegates.”

The ACTU has given strong support to the MEAA in its campaign “to improve the representation of Australia’s culturally diverse population on TV screens.” The campaign focuses on the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) decision to register a code of practice for commercial broadcasters that makes no reference to the portrayal of cultural diversity.

In one of the most innovative research projects conducted in the area of combating discrimination, the Australian Services Union completed their study into the employment of workers who were required to use their language and cultural skills yet were not compensated for those skills. The study is in two parts, “Multilingual: Multiskilled (includes employer and employee surveys) and “More than just a voice” (a detailed analysis of the employment of language aides in local Government in NSW).

The ACTU, in its submission to the “Industry into Commonwealth Purchasing Policies and the Promotion of Australian Made Goods and Services” argued for an extension of the existing contract appliance measures (currently covering women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders) as a means of enhancing the employment opportunities of non English speaking background Australian workers.

The AMEU produced a guide, in a number of languages, for their members on racial harassment. It provides in simple English, a definition of racial harassment; what to do if you are being harassed; what to do if the harasser is a supervisor or union representative and a brief resource list.

During 1993 many unions, cooperated with the Commonwealth Department of Industrial Relations, in employing specialist staff to develop more effective union responses to overseas born workers. An evaluation of the scheme commenced in late 1992, still had not been completed by the end of 1993.

ORGANISED RACISM

According to the Victorian Police Commissioner, “there was evidence that some ultra-racist groups were already present in Australia” (Age 27.8.93). The Director General of ASIO warned that “high unemployment and immigration could revive neo Nazi activity in Australia” (AJN 3.4.93).

The report on antisemitism to the 1993 Annual Conference of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry noted that the “Jewish conspiracy” theme appears in “publications such as Lock Stock and Barrel. The Strategy and Nexus … and is responsible for any government restrictions on activities their diverse authors support” (p. 207) Both Nexus and Lock Stock and Barrel are readily available in newsagents.

The year also saw the reappearance of the National Socialist Party, coming out in support of the entry of David Irving; the Australian National Socialist movement distributing, racist posters in Queensland; a conference of the “US based extreme right wing LaRouche Organisation” , a politician in strife over his decision to address a League of Rights seminar; “neo Nazi skin heads, wearing swastika armbands”. Scuffing with other demonstrators in Victoria (Herald Sun 21.11.93); and the extreme right attempting to infiltrate churches in rural areas.

Acccording to a member of the Concerned Voters Association, “The Bible is not wrong when it says the races should not mix. There is always trouble when they mix. The league message is spending because it is the truth.” (SMH 13.2.93)

MINORITIES AND RACISM

The report on anti Semitism to the 1993 Annual meeting of the Executive Council of Australia Jewry noted that “the year in review contained a number of disturbing features for Australian Jewry, and all individuals and organisations opposed to antisemitism, racism, harassment, intimidation and vilification of minorities.”

No other minority in Australia monitors, analyses and reports on harassment and attacks on its community members as does the Australian Jewish community. While and English reader has been able to readily access community’s press (Australian Jewish News), its only very recently that an English reader can access, for example, news of the Islamic Community (Australiasian Mulim Times).

No other minority except the long established Jewish community, has the resources and skills to analyse, for example, “the key sections of the foreign language press in Australia” (at least 112 regularly published ethnic newspapers and magazines representing 35 minority communities). They concluded, that, “with just one or two exceptions, (the ethnic press) is generally free from antisemitism” (AJN 3.9.93).

1993 was a year in which the Jewish Community reported yet again:

• “a massive 49.15 per cent increase in incidents of violence vadalism and intimidation over the corresponding period in 1992 and was 37.5 per cent higher than the average for the period in the previous three years” (Annual Report p 219)

• “this year there has been a rise in Anti-Zionism activities” (“Antisemitism on campus” AJN 10.12.93)

• “the evidence of growing antisemitism in Queensland and across Australia” (AJN 278.93)

The Jewish community has good reason to be vigilant, not only because of its history, but also because of the reality that its places of meeting and worship are so frequently the target of attack and violence.

Their data, however, suffers the drawbacks of all complaint based data. If for example, it was reported that “the year in review saw the highest number of items of hate mail ever recorded in Australia” (p 222). What in fact does that mean: more people are writing more hate mail to more people? The same people are writing more to fewer people? Or fewer people writing more to an ever increasing number of people?

In the end what does it say about antisemitism in Australia, other than there continues to be a number of individuals who for one reason or another are antisemitic, and whether or not legislation is introduced, changed or strengthened, will continue what the Report calls “socially unacceptable behaviour”

As Bernard Rechter the Chairman of the B’nai B’rith Anti Defamation Commission has noted

‘Incidents of arson against Jewish targets, neo-Nazi daubings and vandalism, racist stickers and postcards and phone and mail threats, are being reported at a much greater rate now than before, though it is difficult to be precise about the level of increase in the absence of accurate records” (AJN 3.9.93)

However, those who are familiar with the difficulties with ‘complaint based’ data know only too well, that judgements on ‘increases’ or ‘decreases’, based on such data, must be regarded with some caution.

While perhaps not having a profile as high as the Australian Jewish Community, other communities were also reporting difficulties.

A group of Australian (not ‘Indian’ as reported in the Canberra Times 6.6.93) Sikhs were forced to take an RSL club to the NSW Anti Discrimination Board. The club refused entry to ‘anyone wearing head gear’ including turbans. As the secretary manager of the club noted

“what we get back to is, is this Australia or India? When you come here you live by our rules” (Daily Telegraph 7.5.93)

The Sikhs were again the target of an anonymous leaflet attack because of their plants to “convert the disused Blackburn Mail Centre (Victoria) into a temple of religious worship and Sunday School” (Herald Sun 7.9.93). As one of the neighbours who supports the plans, noted, the “trouble was being caused by racists who did not have the courage to put their names on the letter.”

The United National Hight Commission for Refugees’ Newsletter reported that

Recent research … shows that one in six Vietnamese adolescents has suffered, or has been threatened with physical violence based on racism” (Refugees, August 1993)

Members of the Maronite Church, an Eastern affiliate of the Roman Catholic Church, were also in dispute with the local government, Burwood Council (NSW), following their application to convert an old bus depot into a church.

Local governments, found themselves under attack when the Lord mayor suggested that “Brisbane City Council (BCC) organisation was sexist, white and racist” (Courier Mail 7.10.93)

In response to Australian Services union (ASU) said that

“sexism and racism was not invented by the BCC. It is a product of history and our macho society which the ASU has been attacking” (Courier Mail 8.10.93).

For Australian Asians the newspaper headlines revealed some disturbing and frightening experiences:

• “Vietnamese suffer worsening racism: report” (Australian 17.4.93)

• “Police bias against Asians in brawl” (Canberra Times 2.7.93)

• “Asians fear Nazi persecution: Skinheads gangs blamed for racist attacks on restaurants” (Australian 27.3.93)

• “Racism pushes refugees to brink” (Age 12.2.93)

• Star won’t return to racist state (Northern Territory News 16.9.93)

Three reports raised the issue of racism as it is perceived in Asia:

1. Returning from a Pacific Asia Conference, a NT minister said “the belief that racism remained a dynamic part of Australia’s national character explained the reluctance of some Asia nations to be enthusiastic about Australian overtures or more business and trade links: (Australian 12.9.93)

2. A South Australian report (“Opportunities for SA. In Hong Kong and China.”) concluded that SA was viewed by many investors in Hong Kong, “ as having an uncooperative government, a poor business environment and even racist tendencies” (Australian 29.12.93)

3. And, according to a report by the Australian Tourist Commission, “a reputation for racism is hindering Australia’s tourism marketing in Malaysia” (Australia 30.12.93)

Islamic Australians also found that prejudice runs deep in some sections of the community.

According to an article in the Islamic press, “Anti-Muslim propaganda reaching reaches new heights” (Australian Muslim Times 2.4.93), a well know academic had warned, that

“A small minority of extremist fundamentalists could threaten the social order if immigration from the Arab world remained at is present level. The Arabs like to concentrate, marry within their own groups. They have a religion which is very different from the religions of other Australians”

And a ‘phone in’ conducted by the Muslim Womens Association found numerous instances of discrimination:

• “One you women… had rung about a job… and was asked her religion. When she said she was a Muslim she was told the job was taken. A friend later rang for the same position and was told it was still available.”

• “Problems with employers not giving women wearing Islamic dress a chance to prove their capabilities were common.” (AMUST 19.3.93)

SPORT

Racism continues in too many sports. The “Winmar incident’ “(After his fourth consecutive vote winning performance, Winmar turned toward Collingwood supports, pointed to his bared chest and declared, “I’m black and I’m proud to be black, “ Age 18.4.93) there was a flurry of activity.

• “Bulldogs move to stamp out racism” (Australian 27.4.93)

• “Racist slurs have no place in AFL” (Herald Sun 24.4.93)

• “Is there racism in the National Basketball League” (Herald Sun 27.4.93)

• “AFL ordered to act on racism” (Herald Sun 27.4.93)

• “Racism code” (Herald Sun 28.4.93)

• Apologetic McAlister warns footballers on racism (Age 7.47.93)

Every year racial abuse, sledging and harassment have been reported.

Following the Winmar incident the media reported that

“The AFL will introduce a players’ code of conduct and a public education campaign for supporters to try to eradicate racism in football” (Herald Sun 28.4.93)

CAN WE STILL BE CONFIDENT?

While there continues to be incidents of racism expressed by individuals and while a number of Australian institutions still act and deliver their services as though the Australian population was all male and all “Anglo Saxon Celt’, 1993 still, provided enough evidence to be confident that Australia’s cultural and linguistic community mix was working.

The very increase in complaints, for example, can be interpreted as an increasing confidence not only within individuals but a trust in institutions such as equal opportunity commissions to deliver an protect individuals against racism…

A decision by Government to enable its citizens to take their complaints of denials of human rights to international bodies is an indication of a nation with an emerging confidence in itself.

Institutions, such as the Office of Multicultural Affairs, prepared to expose their programs to external evaluation is a mark of an effective public institutions.

When, even the Australian Defence Force, is ready to accept a review which suggests that “the pro British traditions of the Australian Defence Force, have alienated ethnic groups and Aborigines and are out of touch with the values of a modern, multicultural Australia,” there can be little doubt that Australian institutions are slowly moving to respond to the reality of the Australian community.

As states continue to put in place either anti-discrimination legislation or review and fine tune the implementation of their legislation; as Federal institutions such as Human Rights Australia are open to review or the Federal Public Service Commission reevaluates their strategy; and as local government adopts policies which permit employees to take unpaid leave to celebrate religious holidays and meet their cultural objections; it is but a further indication of institutions beginning to change for the better.

Alan Matheson, ACTU International Officer, March 1993

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