3.6 Dissatisfaction with complaints mechanisms Lack of confidence in complaints mechanisms was a common theme across consultations with both students and staff, leading to reluctance to report experiences of racism. There were concerns expressed that making a complaint could be detrimental, particularly for international students who fear risks to their visa status, as well as for early career academics on casual contracts. Low cultural capability within complaints processes was also described in consultations. For example, the Commission heard that First Nations complainants were made to feel that their complaints weren’t valid or of a serious enough nature to pursue. Student complainants were often referred to Aboriginal units rather than formal complaints processes. While Aboriginal units are important sources of support, they are not equipped to deal with complaints. International students described similar experiences of being referred to international student support services rather than their concerns being properly heard and addressed through appropriate processes. Support services for international students are limited and the scope of the services that are available does not extend to dealing with complaints relating to experiences of racism. Dissatisfaction with complaints was often related to differential treatment. For instance, the Commission heard from an African-background postgraduate student who had raised concerns about the standard of the course content being taught. While they were able to participate in a formal complaints process, they felt overly scrutinised and felt that they were ultimately pushed out of the course for raising their concerns. This student noted that others in the course from non-racially marginalised backgrounds also raised similar complaints and their experience of the complaints process was vastly different, with far more positive outcomes. The Commission is aware of academics resigning from positions due to dissatisfaction with the way complaints about institutional racism were dealt with. The adequacy of complaints mechanisms has also been under scrutiny in relation to antisemitism and the handling of protests on campus. Jewish students told the Commission that while universities have good policies related to discrimination, it is still a matter of choice for universities to use these mechanisms. While some universities dealt with complaints quickly, others did not. The Inquiry heard that Jewish students felt complaints would not be taken seriously: A significant frustration among Jewish university students is the lack of seriousness or concern with which their peers, academic and university staff respond when they share experiences of antisemitism. This 48