FACT SHEETS
EXISTING LEGAL PROTECTIONS AGAINST RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN AUSTRALIA
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Commonwealth Protections
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Racial discrimination: Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
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Religious discrimination: none
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State and Territory Protections
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More information about Australia’s international obligations
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INCIDENCE OF RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN AUSTRALIA
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78% of Australians believe in freedom of religion and culture.[1]
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Racial discrimination
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76% of Australians from non-European backgrounds have experienced racial discrimination.[2]
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People who experienced racial discrimination in the last 12 months because of their skin colour, ethnic origin or religion identified as follows:
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11% born in Australia
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12% born overseas in an English speaking country
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34% born overseas in a non-English speaking country
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40% born in Asia[3]
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97% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria had experienced racism within the last year, and 2/3 had experienced 8 or more incidences a year.[4]
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1/3 Australians have experienced racism in the workplace and/or educational facilities.[5]
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Religious Discrimination
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70% of religious Australians experience intolerance at least occasionally.[6]
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In Australia, the proportion of people belonging to faith communities who experienced religious discrimination were:
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54% of non-Christian religious people
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27% of Christian Protestants
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32% of Catholics[7]
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Younger religious Australians are 4 times more likely than their older counterparts to experience religious discrimination.[8]
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DOWNLOAD FACT SHEETS FOR AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY RESIDENTS HERE
Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Bullying at Work
Phone, Public and Door-to-Door Sales
Reporting Racial and Religious Discrimination
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DOWNLOAD FACT SHEETS FOR LAWYERS