Australian Human Rights Commission Submission to the UN Committee On The Elimination Of Racial Discrimination, 30 October 2017 75. The Commission strongly considers that there is a need for the Australian Government to collect better data on cultural diversity in Australian organisations and institutions. 76. The Commission draws the Committee’s attention to the UK Race Disparity Audit, a governmental audit into racial disparities performed across Britain to examine how people of different backgrounds are treated across areas including health, education, employment and the criminal justice system.77 The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa May, has said that the audit data may be ‘uncomfortable’, but will also be ‘regarded as the central resource in the battle to defeat ethnic injustice’.78 The Commission encourages the Australian Government to commission a comprehensive audit into racial disparity in Australia. Recommendation 18: That the Australian Government collect more comprehensive data on racial discrimination, racially motivated crimes, cultural diversity and multiculturalism generally. The Commission considers this to be of such importance that the Committee should request an update from the Australian Government on progress in 12 months. 5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples Experiences of racial discrimination 77. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are particularly affected by racial discrimination, including institutional racism. There are numerous studies into institutional racism and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.79 Settings identified as being of special concern include employment, education, shops, public spaces and sport, health and justice.80 78. The Commission noted in its 2016 Social Justice Report that most complaints to the Commission made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were about racial discrimination. 81 While the 2016 Australian Census found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represented 2.8% of the Australian population, of all complaints made under the RDA in 2016–17, 25% were made by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.82 79. The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples found the prevalence of racism against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be ‘deeply disturbing’,83 and that ‘racism manifests itself in different ways, ranging from public stereotyped portrayals as violent criminals, welfare profiteers and poor parents, to discrimination in the administration of justice’. 84 UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples (CERD article 2; CO 15) 80. The Commission considers that more robust consideration and implementation of the UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples (Declaration) 17