Australia Works To Expose Discrimination, Launches Online TAS Reporting Tool
Tasmanians can now expose discrimination and inciting hatred anonymously and in confidence through an official incident form available online from today.
The form is a new avenue for reporting racism and other discrimination or harassment to the Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner (OADC).
It was developed with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and the Tasmanian Settlement Network – a planning group of agencies that helps migrants and humanitarian entrants to settle.
Tasmania’s Acting Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Catherine Edwards, launched the OADC Incident Report Form in Hobart today.
Also speaking were DIAC State Director Doug Walker, international students and a Sierra Leone community member who has experienced racial abuse.
Ms Edwards said the form will help provide a better picture of what incidents are occurring, where and why.
“Reports can be made anonymously and confidentially. People making the report do not have to have been directly involved in the incident,” she said.
Ms Edwards said reports about race-based harassment, discrimination and abuse have been persistent but often anecdotal, as some victims feel there is no place to report incidents unless they want to lodge a formal complaint.
“Many incidents may go unreported because some victims believe they lack enough evidence or are unsure about the outcome or process,” she said.
“This means government agencies do not get all the information they need to develop strategies to discourage perpetrators, support potential victims and to reduce such incidents and the harm these can cause.
“Information from these reports can be used to undertake a range of targeted strategies, such as community education, to address unlawful discriminatory behaviours in our community”, Ms Edwards said.
The form is available from the OADC by phoning 1300 305 062 or online at: www.antidiscrimination.tas.gov.au/forms/Incident_form
Topics: 2010, anti-discrimination, Australia, behavior, Catherine Edwards, community, complaint, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, DIAC, discrimination, education, Governance, government, hatred, Hobart, human rights, immigrants, immigration, International, migrants, moniter, monitor, news, OADC Incident Report Form, online, racial abuse, racism, Sierra Leone, society, students, Tasmania, Tasmanian Settlement Network, technology, victims
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