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First Nations Woman Alleges Humiliating Coles Security Check
11 Feb
Summary
- A First Nations woman alleges a derogatory security check at Coles.
- The incident occurred at a self-scanning checkout in Dubbo, NSW.
- The tribunal granted her the right to pursue a racial discrimination case.
A First Nations woman, Janice Edwards, has received approval to proceed with a racial discrimination claim against Coles. The case stems from an incident at a Coles supermarket in Dubbo, New South Wales, in March 2024. Ms. Edwards reported experiencing a security check she described as 'derogatory and humiliating' during a visit.
While using a self-scanning checkout, Ms. Edwards encountered a machine error and sought staff assistance. Instead of resolving the error, a staff member initiated a security check, displaying her face on the screen and re-scanning her items. Ms. Edwards believes this was due to her race, stating she was treated unfairly.
The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal allowed her to pursue the complaint, overturning a previous decision to drop the investigation. Tribunal senior member Jill Gatland noted that Ms. Edwards may be able to prove she was treated differently because of her race, as there was no evidence of theft or misconduct by her.
