Indian compensated with 15,000 Aus dollars for racist abuse

Melbourne, 26 November (UNI) A state tribunal has awarded 15,000 Australian dollars to an Indian worker for racial humiliation she had to endure at workplace.

The New South Wales Equal Opportunity Tribunal awarded the compensation to Rama Velagapudi, 55 after her workmate called her ''a lazy, black, Indian bitch'' in her absence.

The Indian woman, who was employed by Symbion Pharmacy Services told the NSW Tribunal that her ordeal began on 15 August 2003 and continued for a year after that. She was, according to the Sydney-based newspaper The Sunday Telegraph, forced to take stress leave for one week for this reason.

The Tribunal has taken a strong stance over the accusation and also over the fact that the pharmaceutical company did not take any action. The NSW Equal Opportunity Tribunal has also overruled the defence argument that Rama Velagapudi did not hear the remarks made by her workmate Leanne Spooner herself.

The Indian worker admitted to have not heard the comment herself but claimed she was aggrieved when she was made aware of the hurtful comments.

Ms Spooner had emphasised that she was extremely frustrated over her workmate's inefficiency and had walked into an empty aisle and mouthed the words to herself.

The accused admitted using the word ''lazy black bitch'' but argued she did not utter the word ''Indian''.

Symbion's defence counsel reportedly claimed it was a ''single incident involving a remark that was made in private and not said to any other person at the time'' and hence did ''not of itself amount to, or prove, unlawful discrimination''.

The Tribunal has, according to Murdoch Press owned newspapers, accepted the victim's version of events, saying a number of people had heard the remark.

The Indian worker's allegation that the pharmaceutical company failed act appropriately on her complaint was also upheld by the NSW Tribunal which ordered a compensation of additional 10,000 Australian dollars to be paid by the company for not handling the complaint ''appropriately and reasonably''.

Symbion Pharmacy Services (formerly Faulding Healthcare) was earlier ordered to pay Ms Rama Velagapudi 5,000 Australian dollars compensation for the remark.

UNI XC DH PM0808