A New Zealand woman has lost a racial discrimination case against an Australian bakery.
Julie Savage said she suffered because of the "disrespect" caused by her managing director Vili Milisits calling her 'Kiwi', ABC News reports.
Ms Savage alleged that Mr Milisits had racially discriminated against her when she was employed as a supervisor at Vili's Cakes in Adelaide.
However, the South Australian Employment Tribunal and presiding Judge Leonie Farrell have found that Ms Savage was not discriminated against.
Mr Milisits argued that the term 'Kiwi' is used as "a term of endearment and as a means of identifying as a New Zealander".
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Judge Farrell agreed, saying that calling a New Zealander a Kiwi "was not of itself offensive".
The case was referred to the tribunal by the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity Niki Vincent.
Ms Vincent is forced by law to refer cases if the litigant wants to pursue their complaint.
Ms Vincent declined to comment on this case, but told ABC Radio: "If someone takes particular offence to that nickname and... asks not to be called that any more, in a respectful workplace that's what you do.
"You wouldn't call them that any more."
Mr Milisits says that the tribunal's decision was "the right outcome".
"It just took 18 months to get the outcome - that's my beef. They had a right to complain, it just takes too long".
Newshub.
