An advert placed on the listings websites Gumtree has caused controversy for clearly stating it was not looking for Indian or Asian candidates.

Coles, an Australian supermarket came under fire for publishing the job advertisement.

"Store requires no Indians or Asians please. Must speak English (sic)", read the online ad posted on Sunday.

The ad on the Gumtree website sought cleaners for a supermarket, triggering outrage online to boycott te store.

A Coles spokesman said the ad had been posted by a contract company responsible for cleaning its Rosny store.

"The ad was placed without Coles' knowledge and we were extremely concerned to learn of the ad and its contents," spokesman Jim Cooper said.

"It's unlawful to blanket preclude a person because of their race," said Tasmania's Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Robin Banks.

According to Banks, both the company offering the position and the publisher of the advert could be subject to legal action.

"Gumtree is probably in breach (of the law) as well because the Act says you can't publish, display, etcetera, material that is discriminatory," Banks said, adding "I've had other ads in print form and other sites brought to my attention, which I've followed up with the publisher. That tends to result in it getting pulled very quickly."

Discrimination against ethnic minorities has been on the rise for the last 5 years in Australia especially because of the high influx of immigrants from South East Asia.