Anti-Racism Policy

1. Purpose

CIT is committed to maintaining a safe environment for employees and students, where they can work and study free from racism.

This policy sets out CIT’s approach to preventing, reporting and responding to racial discrimination and hate, in line with its obligations under anti‑discrimination, human rights, and work health and safety legislation.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Resolving Staff Workplace Issues Policy and Procedures (PDF, 274.2 KB).

2. Scope

This policy applies to all CIT employees and students at CIT premises, and circumstances including, but not limited to the following:

Interactions between employees or students and third parties (including visitors, or members of the public) where that interaction occurs in connection with CIT’s operations.
On-campus or off-campus activity (including work or study related social functions, conferences or excursions).
Out of hours interactions where there is a connection to CIT’s operations.
All aspects of employment, recruitment and selection, conditions and benefits, training and promotion, task allocation, shifts, hours, leave arrangements, workload, equipment and transport.
In online spaces, including email, Microsoft Teams and social media platforms where the conduct is in connection with CIT (e.g. remote work) or involving online communication between employees, students or third parties.

For the purposes of this policy racism refers to, but is not limited to prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism based on race, involving beliefs in racial superiority/inferiority, and manifesting as individual verbal and non-verbal actions (slurs, harassment) or systemic policies (unequal laws, institutional barriers) that create disadvantage and unequal outcomes for people of different racial backgrounds. It's more than just individual attitudes; it includes practices, processes and systems that oppress or limit others due to their race, colour, ethnicity, or national origin, affecting opportunities and dignity.

3. Principles

CIT’s commitment

3.1 CIT is committed to creating an environment of cultural safety, especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and people from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds.
3.2 Discrimination, victimisation and/or vilification because of race is unlawful, and all other forms of racism breach the ACTPS Values and Code of Conduct.
3.3 CIT rejects all forms of racism, racial discrimination, harassment, and vilification.
3.4 CIT employees and students should conduct themselves appropriately in line with this policy both in-person and online.
3.5 CIT expects leaders at all levels within CIT uphold this policy in full and proactively ensure others do also.

Prevention

3.6 CIT has a positive legal duty to take all reasonable and proportionate steps to eliminate racism within the workplace. This includes fostering an inclusive environment, implementing clear anti-racism policies, providing learning resources, and having effective complaint resolution procedures.
3.7 Alongside this duty, CIT is obligated to eliminate or so far as reasonably practicable mitigate the risk of psychosocial harm in the workplace, including racism. Implementation of psychosocial risk registers and action plans are tools that support the prevention of such hazards.
3.8 Prevention requires identification of potential risks, assessing the proportionate risk rating and implementing control measures to either eliminate or mitigate the risk and continuously review for improvement. Leaders and managers should regularly identify and assess risk factors, including by seeking feedback from employees and consulting Health and Safety Representatives and/or unions (see WHS Risk Management for information).
3.9 Prevention also requires leaders and managers to model appropriate behaviour in line with ACTPS values and behaviours and CIT values, educate employees on their obligations, and intervene quickly when inappropriate behaviour occurs.

Training and development

3.10 All CIT employees, including new employees on commencement and existing employees as part of ongoing mandatory training requirements, must complete online training that outlines behavioural expectations, examples of unacceptable behaviour, including racism, and how to report such behaviour through CIT processes if it is experienced, witnessed, or suspected.
3.11 CIT corporate mandatory training programs are designed, managed and coordinated through the CIT People and Culture Workforce Capability team.

Reporting instances of racism

3.12 CIT strongly encourages individuals who have been affected by or have witnessed racism to report the behaviour. CIT will take all reports of alleged racism seriously.
3.13 Incidents of racism involving students can be reported via the Complaints Form, in person to CIT Counselling or by email to citsafercommunity@cit.edu.au. All reports will be referred to Audit Risk and Corporate Governance to be managed as a level 2 complaint consistent with the Student and Community Members Complaints Policy, and assigned a complaint manager.
- 3.13.1 Student conduct will be assessed in accordance with the Student Conduct Policy and Procedure (PDF, 369.85 KB).
3.14 Incidents of racism involving CIT employees must be reported to People and Culture via CITpeopleandculture@cit.edu.au and managed in line with the Resolving Staff Workplace Issues Policy.
3.15 Individuals may wish to raise the issue directly with the other person(s) involved if they feel safe and comfortable to do so. However, there is no expectation or requirement for this.
3.16 CIT strongly encourages and supports bystanders to call out and report instances of racism where it is safe for them to do so. Bystanders who witness instances are encouraged to:
- 3.16.1 Provide support to the person who is being subjected to racism.
- 3.16.2 Formally or informally challenge concerning behaviour (if it is safe and they feel confident enough to do so).
- 3.16.3 Report the matter.
3.17 During the handling of an incident, the complainant and respondent are entitled to fair, respectful and timely resolution of the reported matters in accordance with the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness. The student's enrolment or academic progress will not be jeopardised by a student choosing to report the incident.
3.18 CIT acknowledges the rights of an individual making a report to be informed of the processes for managing the report and the outcomes. Employees will be kept informed in line with the Resolving Staff Workplace Issues Procedure (PDF, 274.2 KB), and students will be kept informed in line with the Student and Community Members Complaints Procedure (PDF, 246.62 KB).
- 3.18.1 If a person making a report is not satisfied with the process, an internal review can be requested through the Office of the Chief Executive.

Support arrangements

3.19 To best support employees who experience racism, employees should report incidents of alleged racism through the ACTPS Safety Portal. Incidents reported through the Portal will be managed by People and Culture.
3.20 All reports will be strictly managed according to the CIT Privacy Policy. This means that all personal information collected by CIT is used only for the purpose that it is collected and will only be shared on a need-to-know basis.
3.21 CIT will support employees and students who report alleged racism by facilitating access to counselling or other services as appropriate.
3.22 CIT will seek to provide interim academic arrangements for students where possible if these are needed to support the student's right to continue study and to provide procedural fairness to the other involved party until proceedings have been resolved.
3.23 Students can email citsafercommunity@cit.edu.au, call CIT Counselling on (02) 6207 3290 or visit a CIT Student Support Office to receive assistance and support if they have been affected by instances of alleged racism.
3.24 CIT employees may access the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for support, including specialised First Nations Helpline by calling 1300 287 432.
3.25 External support services available to everyone include:
- 3.25.1 Australian Human Rights Commission - www.humanrights.gov.au, 1300 656 419 or (02) 9284 9888
- 3.25.2 13YARN - Call 13 92 76
- 3.25.3 ReachOut - https://au.reachout.com
- 3.25.4 Beyond Blue - www.beyondblue.org.au, 1300 224 636
- 3.25.5 Lifeline - www.lifeline.org.au, 13 11 14

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advice and Guidance

3.26 As part of CIT’s commitment to reconciliation, where able to do so, relevant senior leader representatives will be provided the opportunity to be involved in the assessment of the allegation to provide advice and guidance on the management and response to instances of racism involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including possible alternative dispute resolution and recommendations for culturally appropriate education and awareness raising across CIT.

Continuous improvement

3.27 An annual racism report will be provided to the CIT Executive Management Committee (EMC) (as part of the CIT WHS report) and will be used to track and monitor continuous improvement. This will help inform policy and procedures to ensure CIT is providing a culturally safe environment.

4. Roles and responsibilities

Employees and Students

All employees, other workers and students must:

Comply with this policy.
Demonstrate high levels of personal conduct consistent with this policy and their responsibilities under the ACTPS Code of Conduct or the Student Conduct Policy. This means they must treat others with courtesy and sensitivity to their rights and aspirations and not engage in racism or condone racism by others.
Seek assistance when unsure about how to implement this policy.
Be encouraged to report suspected breaches of the policy in accordance with the reporting mechanisms within CIT and the ACTPS.
Cooperate fully and respectfully with complaint procedures.

Supervisors/Managers/Leaders

In addition to their responsibilities as employees, those with management and leadership responsibilities must also:

Promote a work culture that maintains culturally inclusive practices.
Communicate and promote this policy to those they work with.
Call out and appropriately manage inappropriate behaviour.
Encourage an environment where everyone feels safe to report racism.
Prioritise the care and support of those impacted when responding to issues raised with them or observed.
Treat all reports of racism seriously and confidentially and take prompt action to address them.

5. References

Legislation

Policies and Guidelines

6. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Definition of Terms.

7. Policy contact officer

For more information about this policy, CIT employees can contact CITPeopleandCulture@cit.edu.au

Students can contact CIT Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au for general information.

POLICY INFORMATION

Policy No: CIT2026/1503
Approved: September 2026
Next Review: September 2029
Category: Student policies, Staff policies, Corporate policies
Policy Owner: Executive Branch Manager People and Culture