The racist attitudes of many Australians has always been contrary to the country’s clear history of multi-cultural populations and influences, and the Federal Race Discrimination Commissioner says it is time to rid ourselves of the hangover from a hugely biased past.

The insidious spectre of race-hate still pervades the national psyche, all the way into the workplace - where racism maintains a foothold through bad jokes and needless stereotypes.

Federal Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane has put out the call for all Australians to give up ‘casual racism’ and the associated poor standard of humour.

“As a category [casual racism] is something that doesn't exist scientifically but it's shorthand for capturing the kind of racism that many people experience in their workplace, on public transport, in their neighbourhoods, which causes a real civic harm,” Mr Soutphommasane said

''It's more subtle than the violent forms of racism that we associate with prejudice and discrimination, but it is very harmful and it can help perpetuate stereotypes that people have about others.”

“You don't need to be bashed up or subjected to a vicious haranguing for an act of racism to occur.”

There is a perception that ‘casual’ forms of racist subjugation are acceptable, as the purveyor often considers themselves ‘not as bad as they could be’.

“When we are indifferent or when we trivialise prejudice, it can quickly escalate into something much nastier,” the Federal Race Discrimination Commissioner says

“Racist violence does not happen in a vacuum, it feeds off prejudice and stereotypes.”

Dr Soutphommasane said a recent Scanlon Foundation report on social cohesion, which was released on Monday, showed a rise in the number of people who had experienced racial discrimination in the past 12 months.

“This is still an ongoing challenge for Australian society - we pride ourselves on the ethos of a fair go but we need to make sure we live up to that ethos in our everyday lives,” he said.

“I don't think prejudice will ever be banished or eradicated, but we have to do our part to ensure that we can live up to our potential as a society,”

“The real problem with racial prejudice and discrimination - it's not about hurt feelings... it prevents individuals from fulfilling their potential and it holds our society back.”