The Allan Labor Government, in collaboration with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, has unveiled the ‘Race Discrimination in the Workplace’ guideline. This initiative aims to ensure that Victoria remains an inclusive state where every individual can fully participate in all aspects of life.
The guidelines, launched this week by Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt, are designed to help employers build racial literacy and better understand their legal obligations under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010. They focus on preventing and addressing race discrimination in the workplace.
Minister Stitt emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating, “Victoria’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths, but we know that our multicultural communities face racism and discrimination at work – that’s why we are providing practical support to ensure both our employees and employers know their rights and responsibilities.”
The guidelines were developed in consultation with various sectors of the Victorian community, including multicultural and First Peoples communities, advocacy organisations, community legal centers, and workplace discrimination experts. These resources are part of a broader effort to create workplaces free from racism, ensuring that First Peoples and multicultural Victorians can fully participate in the workforce and understand their rights.
Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Natalie Hutchins, highlighted the significance of these guidelines in promoting equity, stating, “We know that creating workplaces free from discrimination is essential if we want to close the gap on employment outcomes for our First Peoples, and that’s why guidelines like these are so important for creating genuine change.”
The guidelines are accompanied by additional resources such as policy guides, employee guides, and fact sheets to support employers in fostering discrimination-free workplaces. These materials, including an active bystander guide and racial literacy guide, will be available in 12 languages: Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Farsi, Hazaragi, Karen, Khmer, Korean, Punjabi, Somali, Turkish, and Vietnamese.
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner, Ro Allen, underscored the urgency of addressing workplace racism, saying, “There is an urgent need for meaningful change to address racism in Victorian workplaces. The Commission is dedicated to supporting employers to do this with the release of this guideline and essential tools to tackle workplace racism and ensure workplaces are safe for all.”
This guideline is part of a series of actions by the Labor Government to combat racism and discrimination, including the development of Victoria’s first statewide Anti-Racism Strategy.
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