AHPRA Speeds Up Action on Racism Complaints and Updates Social Media Guidance
23 Jul 2026
The review examined 477 complaints received between 1 July 2023 and 28 February 2026, representing about 1.5% of all notifications during that period. It found that 44% of complaints involved practitioners' behaviour on social media.
Among the complaints, 128 involved alleged antisemitism and 104 related to Islamophobia. Most of these cases were connected to online posts or comments, while other racism and discrimination complaints were more likely to occur in healthcare settings.
Following the review, AHPRA updated its social media guidance to help practitioners better understand what online behaviour may breach professional standards. The regulator said health professionals can take part in public discussions, but their conduct must not be discriminatory, harmful or disrespectful towards individuals or communities.
AHPRA also reported a significant improvement in the time taken to investigate these matters, reducing the average completion time from 132 days in 2024–25 to 53 days in 2025–26.
The regulator will introduce six new actions by the end of 2026 to improve consistency, communication and public confidence in its complaints process. It also plans to publish progress updates every six months.
AHPRA Chief Executive Justin Untersteiner said racism and discrimination have no place in healthcare and confirmed the regulator will continue taking appropriate action to protect patients and maintain public trust.
The review also noted that racism in healthcare is likely to be under-reported, particularly among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As part of its ongoing work, AHPRA has commissioned a cultural safety evaluation to strengthen how the complaints system responds to racism affecting First Nations communities.
AHPRA Speeds Up Action on Racism Complaints and Updates Social Media Guidance
Source: Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).