Labor’s chance to tackle workplace racism

As the Labor Party’s National Conference gets underway today, the Centre for Indigenous People and Work (CIPW) wants to encourage delegates to back reforms that can help stamp out workplace racism, while delivering a boost to the economy.

With reports the ALP’s draft national platform includes an anti-racism strategy, CIPW says any new commitment should include a “positive duty” or legal requirement for employers to have anti-racism policies and procedures, as well as mandatory anti-racism training, complaints procedures, and national standards for reporting racism.

Making a difference

These measures mirror the Respect@Work reforms introduced to address workplace sexism. They were recommended to the Federal Labor Government in the Australian Human Rights Commission’s (AHRC) 2024 National Anti-Racism Framework, but are yet to be legislated.

CIPW’s own national Gari Yala 2 (Speak the Truth) survey of 1,158 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers shows the difference these measures could make to workplace productivity.

• Indigenous employees in workplaces with both a racism complaints procedure and anti-discrimination training are far less likely to experience racism (40% compared to 66% in workplaces with neither)
• They are more likely to be very satisfied with their job (33% vs 22%) and less likely to be looking for a new employer within the next year (24% vs 38%)
• Yet only one in five (21%) Indigenous workers is employed by an organisation with both measures in place, and more than two thirds (69%) work for organisations with no racism complaints procedure at all

The case for action is as much economic as it is moral, with racial discrimination estimated to cost Australia 3% of its GDP annually, and The Productivity Commission’s Meeting the productivity challenge report noting that “investing in people and capital brings productivity dividends.”

Legal requirements

CIPW Director Professor Nareen Young and Assistant Director Joshua Gilbert will present at the conference’s fringe event LaborEngaged’26, focusing on positive duty and other workplace reforms that improve outcomes for Indigenous specifically.

Professor Young says the benefits of a positive duty for employers extend to men and women of every cultural background across every Australian workplace.

“Through our Gari Yala 2 survey, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers told us clearly what’s been working for them when it comes to reducing racism at work,” Professor Young said.

“But creating a legal requirement to have proactive anti-racism policies, training and procedures in place will make everyone safer.”

“These measures can improve productivity and save the country billions in direct and indirect costs of racial discrimination. So, they’re not just good for workers, they’re good for employers and for the economy too.”

Making a real difference

Joshua Gilbert said the government has had the AHRC Framework since 2024, and the Labor National Conference is an opportunity to commit to putting it into practice.

“The evidence for the effectiveness of these reforms is clear, and a working model for positive duty already exists in the Respect@Work reforms.” Mr Gilbert said.

“Legislating anti-racism workplace measures would make a real difference to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers, and to workers of other cultural backgrounds, while boosting productivity and stimulating the economy.”