One strategy, every community
The strategy covers racism against people of any background. It uses two definitions: the Australian Human Rights Commission's definition of racism, and one common definition of racism against any community, which applies equally to every community.
The strategy is a practical way to implement the National Anti-Racism Framework at a local government level. It is specifically designed to be suitable for resource constrained councils.
Developed by the community…
The Model Strategy has been developed by members of the Anti-Racism Community Collective working with experts in racism and local government policy development and implementation. Read more about us below.
…for Local Government
The Model Strategy is developed to be practical and low cost. The strategy does not require consultants or expensive studies — just the local knowledge of your existing staff about your community.
Choose only what is relevant from the actions menu according to the needs of your community and your available resources. Options are provided for the full spectrum of needs: from high ambition to resource constrained.
The Model Strategy is compatible with all state and territory frameworks and is suitable for metropolitan, regional, and rural and remote contexts.
Download the documents
Templates come as Word and PowerPoint files to fill in. All templates are unbranded, so you can adopt them as your own. None of the documents are copyright — everything is free for you to use.
Start here
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Model Anti-Racism Strategy
The strategy itself is fully drafted with all 75 actions. Replace the highlighted placeholders, delete the optional text and choose the actions that suit your council.
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Guideline for councils
How to fill in the template: seven steps to adoption, section-by-section instructions, where to find each ABS figure, the annotated action menu with examples from other councils, state and territory reference tables, and a best-practice section on community-led responses to racism.
Taking it to Council
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Model council report
One report template covering all three decisions: resolving to prepare the strategy, endorsing it for public exhibition, and adopting it. Includes options, financial implications and risk.
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Councillor briefing
A single page on what the strategy commits council to, with answers to the questions councillors most often ask.
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Councillor briefing presentation
Ten unbranded slides for briefing councillors before they endorse the draft for public exhibition: the decision, the evidence, the six pillars, cost, and the questions councillors ask. Speaker notes and timings on every slide.
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Handling contested debates
An officer guide to preparing for the meeting: factual responses to ten likely amendments, keeping the strategy in place after a change of council, media lines, and supporting staff.
Background
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Choosing a model strategy
A background paper comparing whole-of-racism and single-issue approaches for Australian councils, and why a general framework is the better starting point for most.
How the model strategy works
Built to cover everyone
- Uses two definitions: the Australian Human Rights Commission's definition of racism, and one common definition of racism against any community.
- That common definition applies equally to every community, including racism against First Nations peoples, antisemitism and Islamophobia. The same test applies to all.
- When racism rises against one community, council follows four steps: notice, listen, act, report.
- Includes a best-practice section drawing on four recent local government studies and setting out how councils have built community-led reporting and support networks.
About us
The Model Anti-Racism Strategy for Local Government is a community led initiative. It is produced by members of organisations that are part of the Anti-Racism Community Collective, with support from Associate Professor Mario Peucker.
Dr Peucker is a Principal Research Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities at Victoria University. He has extensive expertise in working with local communities to develop anti-racism roadmaps for local governments.
The Anti-Racism Community Collective is an alliance of community groups committed to: the principle that all people are born free and equal; solidarity across faith, culture, language and origin; and combatting racism in all its forms.
Members of the collective have significant experience in local government policy development and implementation.
Contact us
If you have any questions, or would like to endorse the Model Strategy, please email us at [email protected].