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Building Respect: Whittlesea's Anti-Racism Strategy

Our local Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities make many valuable contributions to our local community and economy.

Unfortunately, discrimination on the basis of race, religion, culture or ethnicity is a common occurrence for many members of our community.

Recent research we conducted in partnership with Melbourne University and VicHealth found:

  • 97 per cent of those surveyed from the Victorian Aboriginal community had experienced racism in the previous 12 months and over 70 per cent had experienced 8 or more racist incidents
  • Nearly two-thirds of those we surveyed from our Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities (CALD) had experienced racism in the previous 12 months, with 40 per cent experiencing 6 or more incidents
  • The majority of Victorians (95 per cent) believe its important that people from different racial or ethnic backgrounds are treated fairly
  • 84 per cent of people surveyed across the City of Whittlesea agreed that something should be done to reduce discrimination experienced by people from racial or ethnic minority groups in Australia.

In response to this, we have developed a strategy that will guide us in:

  • raising awareness and understanding
  • creating places free from racism
  • building a workplace environment that is fair, welcoming and inclusive and free from racism

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Reducing racism

Reducing Racism is a Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission project to make it easier for communities to report racism and exercise their rights. 

In partnership with Code for Australia, the Commission has developed a community reporting tool as an alternative to launching a formal complaint. The community reporting tool enables community members to make short, confidential reports directly to the Commission.