Re: Casual racism
Originally Posted by
Longdogs
->
It's the same as us English being called Poms by the Aussies. Doesn't bother me personally but I suppose if there are to be rules then they should apply to everyone not just those of a different skin colour or religion.
That has already been to the Australian Human Rights Commission and it didn't even get a hearing
In the Commission's guide it states:
More than mere slights are required. Trivial impacts are not unlawful, but fall within a 'margin of tolerance'.
Example:
Newspaper letters and articles which referred to English people as "Poms" or "Pommies" did not meet the threshold for racial hatred. HREOC President Sir Ronald Wilson said: "I can imagine, albeit with some difficulty, that the words complained of in this case could be unlawful in the context of an article which was plainly malicious or scurrilous, designed to foster hatred or antipathy in the reader."
The words on their own, however, were not sufficiently offensive to the reasonable person (Bryant v Queensland Newspapers, 15 May 1997).
So, sorry, NO, calling someone a Pommie is not racial hatred. However calling them a "Filthy Pom" is and can be prosecuted.
You can read the origins of the word here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/20...ms_a_23284903/
Australian Human Rights Commission's Guide:
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-w...ial-hatred-act