Advertisements for rooms appearing on websites such as Gumtree and flatmates.com.au are asking for renters from particular race or religions.
One such advertisement on Gumtree reads, "Room for share (Vietnamese or Asian female only)."
The advertiser writes, "I prefer Vietnamese people or Asian."
Another advertiser has requested for a Gujarati roommate as the advertisement reads, "I am looking for a working single flatmate Indian (Gujarati)."
There are many advertisements where religious preferences are told in plain words.
Source: Website grab
One such listing reads, "We are looking for Muslim student to share the room with (Preferably from India, Bangladesh or Pakistan HALAL ONLY)."
A student, on the condition of anonymity, told SBS Hindi that "it is quite normal."
Source: website grab
The student asks, "What is wrong with it? We all have our preferences."
"For instance, women prefer to have female flatmates.
"In the same manner, if somebody prefers to live with Indians or Muslims, I think it is normal."
Under the NSW Fair Trading law, tenants cannot be discriminated against because of law race, sex, pregnancy or marital status, disability, sexuality preferences or age.
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"Everybody should be given a 'Fair Go' when renting or trying to rent a property," the department guidelines read.
"While landlords and agents have the right to choose the most suitable tenant, they are not able to unfairly discriminate against you when you apply for a rental property."
However, while it is illegal for landlords and rental agencies, the law allows existing tenants to cherry-pick housemates and their religions.
A spokeswoman for the Anti-Discrimination Board told news.com.au that the listings were not breaking the law.
"It's discrimination but it is not unlawful discrimination," she said.
Siddharth Gandhi, a qualified real estate agent, says such advertisements exist in a grey area. "The law applies to licensed agents and landlords."
"When the agreement is verbal and mutual, one can choose according to his or her wishes," says Gandhi.
Anuraj Chhabra, who arrived in Australia as an international student and stayed at sharing-apartments for a long time, finds these ads very disturbing.
He says that it hurts to see people thinking this way.
“I find it disturbing when people tell me I cannot live in a certain place because I have a pet," he says.
"I can only imagine how it would feel to be told that you are not invited because of your race or nationality.”
