Sam Kerr's 'White' Comments: Racial Insults Under the Legal Spotlight

Blog

Jones, Nicky. 2025. "Sam Kerr's 'White' Comments: Racial Insults Under the Legal Spotlight." Lawfully.
Article Title

Sam Kerr's 'White' Comments: Racial Insults Under the Legal Spotlight

Article CategoryBlog
AuthorsJones, Nicky
EditorsMcKibbin, Sarah
Publication TitleLawfully
Year2025
PublisherUniversity of Southern Queensland
Place of PublicationAustralia
Web Address (URL)https://lawfully.unisq.edu.au/sam-kerrs-white-comments-racial-insults-under-the-legal-spotlight/
Abstract

When Australian soccer star Sam Kerr called a London police officer ‘f***ing stupid and white’ in January 2023, her words led to an international legal debate about racial language. The February 2025 verdict finding her not guilty of racially aggravated harassment raises key questions: When does mentioning someone’s race constitute racial hatred? Does calling someone ‘white’ carry the same weight as other racial terms?

In this post, Dr Nicky Jones examines the Kerr case through the lens of Australian law. Her examination reveals how courts interpret racial language when directed at historically dominant versus marginalised groups.

Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020480799. Public law not elsewhere classified
Byline AffiliationsUniversity of Southern Queensland
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/zyz58/sam-kerr-s-white-comments-racial-insults-under-the-legal-spotlight

Log in to edit
  • 11
    total views
  • 1
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Proportionality Analysis: How to balance (and limit) human rights in Queensland
Jones, Nicky. 2025. "Proportionality Analysis: How to balance (and limit) human rights in Queensland." Evening seminar on Proportionality and human rights in Queensland. Brisbane, Australia 26 - 26 Mar 2025
'Bad Smells and Human Rights: A Human Rights Approach to Noxious Odours From Industrial Waste Disposal in Queensland'
Jones, Nicky. 2025. "'Bad Smells and Human Rights: A Human Rights Approach to Noxious Odours From Industrial Waste Disposal in Queensland'." Australasian Law Academics Association (ALAA) 2025 Conference. Brisbane, Australia 02 - 04 Jul 2025
Can international human rights perspectives help Queenslanders to resolve harm from noxious odours caused by waste disposal?
Jones, Nicky. 2025. "Can international human rights perspectives help Queenslanders to resolve harm from noxious odours caused by waste disposal?" ANZSIL Perspective.
'Making It All Rights: International to Queensland Human Rights Law'
Jones, N.. "'Making It All Rights: International to Queensland Human Rights Law'." Legal Studies Conference. University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich Campus 03 May 2024
'Submission to Queensland Government’s Anti-Discrimination Bill 2024 consultation, 22 March 2024'
Jones, N.. 2024. 'Submission to Queensland Government’s Anti-Discrimination Bill 2024 consultation, 22 March 2024'.
An Annotated Guide to the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld)
Jones, Nicky and Billings, Peter. 2023. An Annotated Guide to the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld). Australia. Lexis Nexis.
Queensland is not only trampling the rights of children, it is setting a concerning legal precedent
Jones, Nicky. 2023. "Queensland is not only trampling the rights of children, it is setting a concerning legal precedent." The Conversation.
Human Rights and the Environment in the Ogiek Case: Implications for Property Rights in Queensland
Jones, Nicky. 2023. "Human Rights and the Environment in the Ogiek Case: Implications for Property Rights in Queensland." Environmental and Planning Law Journal. 39 (3), pp. 242-253.
Land and Property: Indigenous Human Rights in the Ogiek decision by the African Court on Human & Peoples' Rights
Jones, Nicky. 2022. "Land and Property: Indigenous Human Rights in the Ogiek decision by the African Court on Human & Peoples' Rights." Environment and Human Rights: Legal Paradigms Symposium. Toowoomba, Australia 18 - 18 Feb 2022
Submission to Queensland Human Rights Commission’s review of Queensland’s Anti-Discrimination Act, 28 February 2022
Jones, Nicky. 2022. Submission to Queensland Human Rights Commission’s review of Queensland’s Anti-Discrimination Act, 28 February 2022. Unpublished.
Law and the International Community: Looking Into the (Post-COVID-19) Future
Jones, Nicky. 2021. "Law and the International Community: Looking Into the (Post-COVID-19) Future." Arifin, Ridwan, Muhtada, Dani and Anitasari, Rahayu Fery (ed.) 3rd International Conference on Indonesian Legal Studies (ICILS 2020). Semarang, Indonesia 01 Jul 2020 Belgium. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.1-7-2020.2303676
'Law and the International Community: Looking Into the (Post-COVID-19) Future'
Jones, N.. "'Law and the International Community: Looking Into the (Post-COVID-19) Future'." 3rd International Conference on Indonesian Legal Studies (ICILS 2020). Semarang, Indonesia 01 Jul 2020
Australian Historical Association Conference Plenary Panel: 'Hate Speech and History' - Legal Contributions (12 July 2019)
Jones, Nicky. 2019. "Australian Historical Association Conference Plenary Panel: 'Hate Speech and History' - Legal Contributions (12 July 2019)." 38th Australian Historical Association Conference (AHA 2019). Toowoomba, Australia 08 - 12 Jul 2019
From Nicklin to Now: Steps to Human Rights Legislation in Queensland
Jones, Nicky. 2019. "From Nicklin to Now: Steps to Human Rights Legislation in Queensland." The Past is Prologue: The Impact of Law's History Colloquium. Toowoomba, Australia 16 - 16 May 2019
The Human Rights Act 2019: New Thinking on Business and Human Rights in Queensland
Jones, Nicky. 2019. "The Human Rights Act 2019: New Thinking on Business and Human Rights in Queensland." Innovate Rights 2019. Sydney, Australia 14 - 16 May 2019
Submission to the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department regarding Commonwealth government’s Religious Discrimination Bill
Jones, Nicky. 2019. Submission to the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department regarding Commonwealth government’s Religious Discrimination Bill. Attorney-General's Department.
Submission to the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee on the Human Rights Bill 2018
Jones, Nicky and Patrick, Jeremy. 2018. Submission to the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee on the Human Rights Bill 2018. Unpublished.
Secularism and state neutrality: the headscarf in French and German public schools
Jones, Nicky and Braun, Kerstin. 2017. "Secularism and state neutrality: the headscarf in French and German public schools." Australian Journal of Human Rights. 23 (1), pp. 61-89. https://doi.org/10.1080/1323238X.2017.1314441
Reforming the Australian Constitution: an overview of recognition proposals
Jones, Nicky. 2016. "Reforming the Australian Constitution: an overview of recognition proposals." Young, Simon, Nielsen, Jennifer and Patrick, Jeremy (ed.) Constitutional recognition of first peoples in Australia: theories and comparative perspectives. Sydney, New South Wales. Federation Press. pp. 48-67
Law provides for settlement of the invasion arguments
Jones, Nicky. 2016. "Law provides for settlement of the invasion arguments." Courier Mail.
'With a little help from a friend': self-represented litigants, payment and legal profession regulation
Jones, Nicky. 2013. "'With a little help from a friend': self-represented litigants, payment and legal profession regulation." Queensland Lawyer. 33 (1), pp. 52-66.
Religious freedom in a secular society: the case of the Islamic headscarf in France
Jones, Nicky. 2012. "Religious freedom in a secular society: the case of the Islamic headscarf in France." Babie, Paul and Rochow, Neville (ed.) Freedom of religion under Bills of Rights. Adelaide, Australia. University of Adelaide Press. pp. 216-238
Justice must be seen to be done: organisational justice and the headscarf and burqa laws in France
Jones, Nicky. 2012. "Justice must be seen to be done: organisational justice and the headscarf and burqa laws in France." International Journal of Organisational Behaviour. 17 (2), pp. 18-28.
Justice must be seen to be done: organisational justice and Islamic headscarf and burqa laws in France
Jones, Nicky. 2011. "Justice must be seen to be done: organisational justice and Islamic headscarf and burqa laws in France." Building Business Communities: Justice, Performance and Change Creating a Sustainable Scholarly Community Colloquia (2011). Brisbane, Australia 09 Nov 2011 Toowoomba, Australia.
Integral Europe: Fast–Capitalism, Multiculturalism, Neofascism by Douglas R. Holmes
Jones, Nicky. 2003. "Integral Europe: Fast–Capitalism, Multiculturalism, Neofascism by Douglas R. Holmes." Australian Journal of Politics and History. 49 (1), pp. 151-152.
The state of secularism: the new law and the affair of the Islamic headscarf in France
Jones, Nicky. 2005. "The state of secularism: the new law and the affair of the Islamic headscarf in France." Interface: A Forum for Theology in the World. 8 (1), pp. 70-82.
Beneath the veil: Muslim girls and the Islamic headscarf in secular France
Jones, Nicky. 2009. "Beneath the veil: Muslim girls and the Islamic headscarf in secular France." Macquarie Law Journal. 9, pp. 47-69.
The rights thing to do? Towards an Australian Bill of Rights
Jones, Nicky. 2002. "The rights thing to do? Towards an Australian Bill of Rights." Human Rights Defender. 11 (2), pp. 17-22.
Lawyers, language and legal professional standards: Legal Services Commissioner v Turley [2008] LPT 4
Jones, Nicky. 2009. "Lawyers, language and legal professional standards: Legal Services Commissioner v Turley [2008] LPT 4." University of Queensland Law Journal. 28 (2), pp. 354-360.
Gift vouchers and expiry dates: when the gift stops giving
Jones, Nicky. 2009. "Gift vouchers and expiry dates: when the gift stops giving." QUT Law Review. 9 (2), pp. 213-231.
L’état de la laïcité en France: après l’affaire du foulard
Jones, Nicky. 2007. "L’état de la laïcité en France: après l’affaire du foulard." The MLTA Quarterly. 140, pp. 23-29.
Wrongs and rights: the economic, social and cultural rights of Indigenous peoples in Australia
Jones, Nicky. 2003. Wrongs and rights: the economic, social and cultural rights of Indigenous peoples in Australia. Australia. University of Queensland.
Keeping the faith: secularism, Muslim schoolgirls and the Islamic headscarf in France
Jones, Nicky. 2004. "Keeping the faith: secularism, Muslim schoolgirls and the Islamic headscarf in France." Human Rights Defender. 13 (1), pp. 4-7.
Constitutive regulation of the firm: occupational health and safety, dismissal, discrimination and sexual harassment
Johnstone, Richard and Jones, Nicky. 2006. "Constitutive regulation of the firm: occupational health and safety, dismissal, discrimination and sexual harassment." Arup, Christopher, Gahan, Peter, Howe, John, Johnstone, Richard, Mitchell, Richard and O'Donnell, Anthony (ed.) Labour law and labour market regulation: essays on the construction constitution and regulation of labour markets and work relationships . Leichhardt, NSW. Federation Press. pp. 483-500
To give and to receive: the Australian government's proposed electoral finance reforms
Gray, Anthony and Jones, Nicky. 2010. "To give and to receive: the Australian government's proposed electoral finance reforms." University of Tasmania Law Review. 28 (2), pp. 182-209.
Confusion in a virtual world
Jones, Nicky. 2008. "Confusion in a virtual world." The Courier-Mail.
Black deaths stain our history
Jones, Nicky. 2007. "Black deaths stain our history." The Courier-Mail.