'Vilification and racism' contribute to rise in human rights complaints

More complaints being made to ACT Human Rights Commission as people report vilification, racism, elder abuse In short: Complaints to the ACT Human Rights Commission jumped 21 per cent last financial year, with 2,068 reports lodged. Vulnerable people complaints rose by 33 per cent during that time, while complaints lodged by or on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people jumped 50 per cent. The commission says that while greater awareness is behind some of the increase, there were also more reports of people experiencing vilification and racism. More people are turning to the ACT Human Rights Commission for help, as they record a 21 per cent increase in complaints lodged last financial year. The commission received 2,068 complaints in 2025-2026, and more than 2,100 enquiries. Complaints about abuse, neglect and mistreatment of older people and people with a disability rose by a third, while complaints from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people increased by 50 per cent. "Unfortunately, some of the narratives in the community about vilification and racism are contributing to people wanting to bring more complaints," Karen Toohey, the Discrimination, Health Services, Disability and Community Services Commissioner, said. "People [are] aware … that they don't have to take those behaviours, which we think is great. "We make sure that there isn't retribution or victimisation when people bring a complaint, and we work really hard to make sure that the process is culturally safe." Rise in vilification and racism complaints The commission investigated 201 complaints from or on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, representing 10 per cent of the total number of complaints received last financial year. "We do know from the parliamentary inquiry federally into violence and racism against Aboriginal people that, since the [Voice] referendum in particular, people are saying that they have experienced an increase in vilification and racism," Ms Toohey said. Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services CEO Julie Tongs agrees. "It's like people now have a licence to say and do as they please. They don't care about other people's feelings,"she said. But Ms Tongs said that while more First Nations people had been inclined to make a formal complaint to the commission, they were the ones who knew "how to navigate the system". "There's still a gross under-representation from what I hear on the ground and what I see," she said. "There are people out there that're frightened to report because sometimes when you report, if it's to do with maybe homelessness or housing or some sort of discrimination, then they're worried that then child protection or other services are going to get involved. "That frightens them because then they're fearful of the whole system." Abuse, neglect of vulnerable people More than 150 vulnerable people complaints were made to the commission during the last financial year — a figure up 33 per cent on the previous financial year. Ms Toohey is one of four commissioners who advocate for vulnerable people and help them resolve complaints across a broad range of service areas including health, older people, children and young people, disability and victims of crime. She's seen complaints about disability services, aged care services, "but it's also about elder abuse within families or abuse of people with disabilities within their families". "It's often about those day-to-day barriers for people that make it difficult for them to participate in life, or make them feel like they've been excluded or treated unfairly,"Ms Toohey said. "What we try and do is build community confidence that if [people] have an issue, it doesn't need to be about world peace." Carers ACT Acting CEO Victoria Dolphin said she believed there were several elements at play when it came to the abuse and neglect of elderly people and people with disabilities, which could contribute to the rise in complaints. "We know that carers are the people that are the backstop when systems fail, and they are holding up the pieces in the air, so to speak, in relation to delivering care to people with needs," Ms Dolphin said. "[But] things like financial abuse is something that often happens in the background, and scams are increasing, as we know, with things like financial scams ... so it's not necessarily linked with carers." Disability discrimination complaints 'concerning' Advocacy for Inclusion CEO Nicolas Lawler said the "concerning" increase in disability discrimination complaints "needs to be taken seriously". "The ACT has strong human rights protections, and the Human Rights Commission plays an important role in helping people exercise those rights," Mr Lawler said. "But having rights written into legislation is not enough if they are not respected in practice. "People with disability should not have to fight to be heard or rely on formal complaints and advocacy simply to have their basic rights respected." But as more people turn to the commission for help, Human Rights Commissioner Penelope Mathew warned about resourcing. "The commission should be a human rights resource for both the public service and the community, but the demand for information and support cannot be met given the current levels of staffing for the human rights team," Ms Mathew wrote in the annual report. "The impact of not adequately resourcing the independent human rights watchdog is felt by the most vulnerable Canberrans."