50 years on Australia’s landmark Racial Discrimination Act

This week marks 50 years since the Racial Discrimination Act came into effect, a law that has shaped how Australia responds to racism in courts, workplaces, and public life.

Introduced by the Whitlam government in 1975, the act was Australia’s first federal human rights law, created in response to ongoing discrimination against Indigenous Australians and migrant communities.

The anniversary has prompted reflections from legal experts and activist who say the fight for racial justice is far from over.

Image: Image: Nick-D via Wikimedia Commons

Produced By: Calvin Lee

Featured In Story: Professor Azadeh Dastyari – Director of Research and Policy at the Whitlam Institute

First aired on The Wire, Tuesday 10 June 2025