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Resolved complaint (257) about racial hatred in the provision of goods and services

Learn how a complaint (257) about racial hatred in the provision of goods and services was resolved through conciliation.

Race discrimination Conciliation register entry 08 April 2026

Summary

  • Year: 2025
  • Relevant Act: Racial Discrimination Act
  • Grounds: Descent; Ethnic origin; National origin/extraction; Race; Racial hatred
  • Area(s): Goods, services and facilities; Racial hatred
  • Settlement terms:
  • Settlement amount: $50

About the complaint

The complainants are Chinese and alleged that when leaving the respondent restaurant, they overheard staff members say to each other in a mocking tone 'sorry guys, because we are full of Chinese', followed by laughter. The complainants said the food they received was below the standard they had expected and believed this to be an act of disrespect.

The restaurant said it was unable to verify the complainants’ claims. The restaurant said that, in response to the complaint, it held a leadership coaching meeting, retraining managers on its bullying, harassment and discrimination policy. Managers then delivered this training to their teams. The restaurant expressed regret that the complainants did not have a positive experience and apologised if they felt offended during their visit.

The complaint was resolved by conciliation with an agreement that the restaurant offer the complainants a $50 voucher to welcome them back to the restaurant.

Guidance on the use of these summaries

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.

These summaries are for general guidance only and are not legal advice. If you need advice about your situation, you should seek independent legal support.

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.

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