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Table 5 Potential policies and interventions to eradicate racism

From: Experiences of racism among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults living in the Australian state of Victoria: a cross-sectional population-based study

Sector

Policies/interventions

Health

Mandatory anti-racism and cultural competency training for all staff in mainstream health services with periodic refresher courses.

A surveillance system to monitor treatment in mainstream services by Indigenous status, linked to health outcomes and reported to an independent committee.

Expansion of culturally safe Indigenous community controlled health organisations.

Police, courts, and corrective services

Mandatory anti-racism and cultural competency training for all staff with periodic refresher courses.

Full implementation of the 339 recommendations of the 1987 Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Properly fund good quality legal services, reinstate and expand Indigenous language translation services.

Policies of non-tolerance of racial discrimination with consequences.

Increase opportunities for, and active recruitment of Indigenous police officers.

Legislation to ban the incarceration of Indigenous people for unpaid fines and other minor offences.

Surveillance system to compare Indigenous and non-Indigenous incarceration rates by crime that is routinely reported to an independent committee.

Media

Anti-racism social marketing campaigns.

Social marketing campaigns to encourage bystander action in racist incidents.

Mandatory anti-racism and cultural competency training for all media staff with periodic refresher courses.

Education

Mandatory anti-racism and cultural competency training for all staff, with periodic refresher courses.

Implement a national curriculum that provides for the mandatory teaching of Indigenous culture, history, the impact of colonisation, and the impacts of racism.

Increase opportunities for, and active recruitment of Indigenous teachers.

Government and public service

Reinstate the Australian and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) or its equivalent and implement the recommendations of the Uluru Statement from the heart.

Recognise and openly acknowledge that racism is endemic within our institutions and society, and is a significant health risk factor for Indigenous people.

Adopt a human rights-based approach to policy-making for Indigenous Australians.

Mandatory anti-racism and cultural competency training for all staff and members of parliament with periodic refresher courses.

Properly fund the native title system.

Correct reporting of government expenditure on Indigenous-specific services with an active media campaign to dispel the myth of the ‘wasted millions’.

Housing

Replace degraded housing stock and provide additional housing to reduce overcrowding.

Institutions

Implement place-based anti-racism interventions such as the Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) intervention (VicHealth 2014).