Australia’s migration debate is becoming personal for many Indian Australians. New research and community testimony show that arguments about population, housing and infrastructure can spill into racial abuse—online, at work, on public transport and in neighbourhoods.
That distinction matters: Australians can debate migration policy without targeting people because of their race, ancestry or national origin. For Indian community members who experience abuse, knowing how to document and report it can make the next step less daunting.
What the latest evidence says
People born in India are now Australia’s largest overseas-born group. Australian Bureau of Statistics data cited by SBS News shows that 971,020 Australian residents were born in India as at 30 June 2025.
The 2025 Mapping Social Cohesion survey found that 30 per cent of respondents held a somewhat or very negative view of immigrants from India. It also estimated that two in five immigrants from Asian and African backgrounds had experienced discrimination in the previous 12 months based on skin colour, ethnic origin or religion.
These figures should not be read as saying most Australians reject multiculturalism. The same research found broad support for multiculturalism remained strong, even as concern about the level of migration increased. The practical warning is that a loud minority—and the speed of online misinformation—can still cause real harm.
Policy criticism is not a licence for racism
Housing affordability, congestion, services and migration numbers are legitimate public-policy questions. Blaming an Indian colleague, student, neighbour or family for those system-wide pressures is not.
Racial discrimination can arise in employment, education, housing, shops and services, or public interactions. Threats, harassment and property damage may also be police matters. Online abuse can sometimes fall within the eSafety Commissioner’s schemes, particularly where a specific Australian adult is targeted and the material is menacing, harassing or offensive and intended to cause serious harm.
What to do if you experience racial abuse
1. Put immediate safety first
Move to a safer or populated place if possible. Do not escalate a confrontation simply to collect evidence. If anyone is in danger, violence is occurring or urgent police attendance is needed, call Triple Zero (000).
2. Preserve useful evidence
- Write down the date, time, location and exact words or behaviour while they are fresh.
- Save screenshots, URLs, usernames, emails or messages without repeatedly sharing harmful material.
- Record names and contact details of willing witnesses.
- Keep receipts, incident numbers and copies of reports.
- For a workplace, rental, school or service complaint, keep the relevant policy, advertisement or correspondence.
Evidence helps an organisation or authority understand what happened, but a person should never put themselves at risk to obtain it.
3. Report through the channel that fits
- Police: report urgent danger via 000. For non-urgent police assistance, call 131 444 where that service operates, or use your state or territory police reporting channel.
- Workplace: report to a manager, human resources team, union or workplace health and safety representative. The Fair Work Ombudsman can provide information about workplace rights.
- Education: use the school, TAFE or university complaint and student-support process. International students can also approach their provider’s international student office.
- Online: first report the content to the platform and retain proof. If serious adult cyber abuse remains online after a platform report, check the eSafety Commissioner’s adult cyber abuse guidance.
- Discrimination complaint: the Australian Human Rights Commission accepts complaints at no cost and says a lawyer is not required. Its National Information Service is available on 1300 656 419.
Time limits and legal tests differ between complaint systems. Community legal centres or state legal aid services can help people understand which pathway may be suitable.
How bystanders and community organisations can help
Bystanders should prioritise safety: check on the targeted person, offer to be a witness, help record key details and ask what support they want. Avoid posting identifiable footage without consent, as wider circulation can deepen distress.
Community organisations can maintain a confidential incident log, share verified reporting information in Indian languages and build relationships with local police, councils, schools and employers. Patterns become easier to address when incidents are recorded consistently rather than dismissed as isolated.
A constructive way forward
Indian Australians are workers, students, business owners, carers, neighbours and citizens—not a migration statistic. Robust debate about Australia migration updates and population policy can coexist with respect for people already building their lives here.
If abuse affects your wellbeing, speak with someone you trust. Lifeline is available on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call 000. Reporting is a personal choice, but no one should feel they must accept racial abuse as the price of belonging in Australia.