The Australian Human Rights Commission has unveiled new tools to boost social cohesion in local governments.

Building Social Cohesion in our Communities has been launched by Race Discrimination Commissioner Dr Tim Soutphommasane at the Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly in Canberra.

“This free online resource will help local government to prevent and respond to incidents of racism when they occur, address any issues that may arise between different groups, and help them to monitor and evaluate their progress,” Dr Soutphommasane said.

Australian Local Government Association President, Mayor Troy Pickard said the resource was “very important for the sector”.

“This important comprehensive guide from the Commission makes the link between racism, intercommunity conflict and building social cohesion, and provides a useful tool for the sector to utilise,” Mayor Pickard said.

The program was developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission under the National Anti-Racism Strategy, with the assistance of the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government.

More information is available here.