Resolved complaint (248) about racial discrimination in the provision of goods and services
Learn how a complaint (248) about racial discrimination in the provision of goods and services was resolved through conciliation.
Summary
- Year: 2025
- Relevant Act: Racial Discrimination Act
- Grounds: Ethnic origin; National origin/extraction; Race
- Area(s): Goods, services and facilities; Other section 9
- Settlement terms:
- Compensation
- Donation to charity
- Settlement amount: $1,400
About the complaint
The complainant is French and Arab. He alleged that the respondent car rental agency refused to issue him with a car because it considered his officially certified translation of his French driving licence to be invalid. He alleged that during this interaction, he manager ignored him, refused to talk to him, threatened him, and asked him to leave.
The agency said the complainant’s documents did not meet the requirements of its policy concerning overseas drivers. The agency said it took steps to prevent discrimination in the workplace and towards customers.
The complaint was resolved by conciliation with an agreement that the agency reimburse the complainant for booking fees, which amounted to approximately $400. The agency also agreed to donate $1,000 to an agreed charity.
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This is a summary of a selected complaint that has been resolved through our conciliation process. It's designed to help people better understand how complaints might be resolved and what outcomes are possible.
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Please note:
- all complaints are de-identified
- complaints are resolved on a 'without admission of liability' basis
- some content may include confronting or offensive language.
