Racial Discrimination Act 1975 | |
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Parliament of Australia | |
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Citation | Racial Discrimination Act 1975 |
Enacted by | House of Representatives |
Enacted | 11 June 1975 |
Administered by | Australian Human Rights Commission |
Status: In force |
The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)[1] is an Act of the Australian Parliament, which was enacted on 11 June 1975 and passed by the Whitlam government. The Act makes racial discrimination in certain contexts unlawful in Australia, and also overrides state and territory legislation to the extent of any inconsistency.
The Act is administered by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). The president of the commission is responsible for investigating complaints. If a complaint is validated, the commission will attempt to conciliate the matter. If the commission cannot negotiate an agreement which is acceptable to the complainant, the complainant's only redress is through the Federal Court of Australia or through the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The commission also attempts to raise awareness about the obligations that individuals and organisations have under the Act.