Here are the findings from a new report into workplace racism against Indigenous Australians
A new report into the workplace racism experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians was released today.
How many people did it survey? 1,033
Who authored the report? The Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research and Diversity Council of Australia. The research was partly funded by NAB and Coles.
The findings
38% reported being treated unfairly bcause of their Indigenous background
44% reported hearing racial slurs
59% reported experiencing ‘appearance racism’, which was defined in the survey as receiving comments about the way they look or ‘should’ look as an Indigenous Australian
Only 1 in 3 Indigenous Australians respondents said they had the workplace support required when they experienced racism
Only 1 in 5 worked in organisations with both a racism complaint procedure and anti-discrimination compliance training that included reference to Indigenous discrimination and harassment
The recommendations
The report authors urged workplaces to make sure they had a plan in place for how Indigenous community engagement and employment should work. According to the report, the plan should include:
Educating non-Indigenous staff on how to interact with Indigenous staff in a way that isn’t racist
Give Indigenous staff higher wages if their workload is harder due to a ‘cultural load’
Consult with Indigenous staff to hear what they want out of any workplace changes