Compliance Overview

Compliance Framework
Compliance Driver Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
Classification Level 1
University-wide concern. Impacts on reputation and funding.
Associated Legislation
Associated Standards
Associated Codes None
Associated Information None
Return to Top Administrative Information
Administrative Body Australian Human Rights Commission
Administrative Name Mr Chin Tan, Race Discrimination Commissioner
Administrative Address Physical Address
Level 3
175 Pitt St
Sydney NSW
Australia, 2000
Mailing Address
GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW
Australia, 2001
Administrative Phone 02 9284 9600
1300 369 711
Administrative Email communications@humanrights.gov.au
Administrative Website https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/race-discrimination
Return to Top General Introduction
VC Compliance Delegate Jo Scanlan, Chief Operating Officer
Compliance Coordinator Kirsten Clayton, Director People and Culture
Business Units Impacted
  • Advancement, Communications, and Events Directorate
  • Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit
  • Australian Business Research Institute
  • Business Intelligence
  • Centre for Agriculture and Law
  • Centre for Applied Research in Social Science
  • Centre for Local Government
  • Corporate Communications and Events
  • Education Enterprise
  • Education Quality
  • English Language Centre
  • Estate and Built Environment
  • Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education
  • Faculty of Medicine and Health
  • Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law
  • Finance
  • Heritage Centre
  • Heritage Futures Research Centre
  • Institute for Rural Futures
  • Internal Audit
  • Legal Services
  • Library Services
  • Office of Strategy Management
  • Office of the Chief Financial Officer
  • Office of the Chief Legal and Governance Officer
  • Office of the Chief Operating Officer
  • Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor
  • Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
  • Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Innovation)
  • Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (External Relations)
  • Office of the Vice-Chancellor and CEO
  • Oorala Aboriginal Centre
  • People and Culture
  • Place Based@UNE
  • Records Team
  • Records, Policy and Governance Unit
  • Research Services
  • Residential System
  • Rural Properties
  • School of Education
  • School of Environmental and Rural Science
  • School of Health
  • School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
  • School of Law
  • School of Psychology
  • School of Rural Medicine
  • School of Science and Technology
  • Strategic Procurement
  • Student Experience
  • Student Grievance Unit
  • Technology and Digital Services
  • The National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematics Education
  • UNE Business School
  • UNE Council
  • UNE Foundation Limited
  • UNE Foundation Trust
  • UNE International
  • UNE Life
  • UNE Marketing
  • UNE Medical Centre
  • UNE Partnerships Pty Ltd
  • University Secretariat
  • Yarm Gwanga
Overview The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (RDA) gives effect to Australia’s international human rights commitments and promotes equality between people of different backgrounds. The Act protects people across Australia from unfair treatment on the basis of their race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin in different areas of public life (including employment, education, accommodation, obtaining or using services, accessing public places). Both direct and indirect race discrimination and racial vilification is against the law.

Racial discrimination is when a person is treated less favourably than another person in a similar situation because of their race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin or immigrant status. Racial vilification (racial hatred) is doing something in public - based on the race, colour, national or ethnic origin of a person or group of people - which is likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate.

Under the Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (AHRCA) a complainant has a choice of taking action under the RDA or the equivalent State or Territory legislation (in the case of NSW the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 is the applicable State law). If action is taken under the State or Territory legislation, the complainant is statute barred from making a complaint under the AHRCA.