A study published today says racism is a problem across the country, with around one in seven of those surveyed saying they experienced discrimination.
Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr Helen Szoke says racism can be subtle and not always easily recognisable.
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"We know that there's an unconscious bias that exists in selection processes in employment, and you would have to say 'Where is the multicultural colour and look and style in the boardrooms and in positions of seniority across both government and the public service?,'" she told SBS.
The '2011 Mapping Social Cohesion report' showed that 14 per cent of Australians surveyed experienced racism on the basis of their colour, ethnicity or religion, up from nine per cent in 2007.
Dr Szoke says racism has an impact on social cohesion.
"If we have people who are left out of mainstream, they are unproductive, they don't realise their potential they have mental health problems, they're unemployed, they rely on the state," Dr Szoke said.
The Human Rights Commission hopes to start implementing the anti-racism strategy from July.
That is when it will call on business, community groups, schools and universities to say how they will contribute to it.
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