The Racial Discrimination Act at 50 / Margaret Thornton and Asmi Wood.

Alexandria, N.S.W. : Federation Press, 2026.

1st edition

203437

Australia. -- Racial Discrimination Act 1975.

Race discrimination -- Law and legislation.

Discrimination -- Australia.

Human rights -- Australia.

1. Introduction: the unfulfilled promise of the Racial Discrimination Act

2. Why the Racial Discrimination Act cannot deliver for indigenous peoples: the constitutional race power and Australia's international obligations

3. Courts' institutional discomfort: section 10 and equality before the law

4. The invisibility of race in the debate concerning section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act

5. Parliamentary committees' engagement with the Racial Discrimination Act

6. Negotiating in the shadow of (and beyond) the Racial Discrimination Act

7. Adapting the Racial Discrimination Act to a changing climate?

8. When law cannot see: visual racialisation and the future of the Racial Discrimination Act

9. Entwined histories: the Racial Discrimination Act and remote indigenous employment

10. Building the case: litigating the Racial Discrimination Act

11. Beyond formal equality: reconsidering Fisher v Commonwealth through an intersectional lens of race, age, and life expectancy

12. Race, gender and class: intersectionality in the context of the Racial Discrimination Act.

This timely book brings together leading experts in race discrimination and racism to critically evaluate the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) (RDA). This insightful collection is an important contribution to the contemporary dialogue about the state of race relations in Australia. The authors evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Act from a range of perspectives, addressing issues of constitutionalism, the limitations of the Act and scrutiny of its operation by parliamentary committees, together with its effectiveness in addressing issues such as complaint-handling, vilification, employment in remote Indigenous communities and the representation of the visual. Several essays look to the future in thinking creatively about issues such as climate change, the intersection of race with variables such as age and sex, and the power to engage in treaties and negotiate in the shadow of the law. While the RDA was in the forefront internationally at the time of its inception, it has tended to fall behind as many jurisdictions, including the Australian states and territories, have updated their legislation. The RDA has been largely resistant to reform. It is hoped that these essays might also shine a light on areas that need to be updated and encourage the shaping of a revamped RDA. - Publisher's website.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

9781760025960

xiv, 304 pages ; 21 cm