Racism against Indigenous Australians increasing: report

CANBERRA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The level of racism and prejudice experienced by Indigenous Australians has increased over the last two years.

According to the latest Australian Reconciliation Barometer (ARB), which is published every two years by the not-for-profit organization Reconciliation Australia, 60 percent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people surveyed reported experiencing racism or prejudice in the last six months.

It marks an increase of eight percent from the 2020 report and 17 percent from 2018.

Fifty-seven percent of Indigenous and 42 percent of non-Indigenous participants in the survey said they believe Australia is a racist country.

The report was published weeks after the alleged racially-motivated murder of 15-year-old Cassius Turvey on his way home from school in Western Australia (WA).

"As stories of racism in sport and workplaces and the death of a young Noongar man hit our front pages, and amid media reports on the appalling treatment of our children in detention centers, it is clear that as a nation, Australia can do better," Karen Mundine, chief executive of Reconciliation Australia, said in a media release recently.

"The 2022 Australian Reconciliation Barometer provides clear evidence that Australians are eager for change, and want a more united and cohesive nation," Mundine said.

The ARB found that 80 percent of Australians believe the creation of a national representative Indigenous body is important and 79 percent believe such a body should be protected under the constitution.