Page 826 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 April 2014
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MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Sport and Recreation, Minister for Tourism and Events and Minister for Community Services) (11.57): I would firstly like to thank Dr Bourke for bringing this motion to the Assembly this morning and for raising an issue that potentially will have negative impacts on many in the community that we represent. I say from the outset that I am proud to stand up today as a member of the ACT Labor Party and the ACT government to support Dr Bourke’s motion and to confirm the government’s continued commitment to address racism and discrimination in our community. I want to ensure that Canberrans of all backgrounds know that this government will do what it can to stand up against the removal of protections by the federal Liberal government.
Canberra prides itself on being a multicultural city. We value and enjoy our cultural diversity and recognise the contribution citizens of all backgrounds make to enhancing the cultural fabric of our city. The ACT government has a strong record of encouraging, promoting and celebrating our diversity and ensuring our community is both fair and safe. We work closely with our multicultural communities, encouraging them to share their culture with the broader community. We bring together many groups to share and acknowledge each other’s heritage, and we celebrate multiculturalism by providing a platform for community interactions, including, I think, Australia’s most successful multicultural festival.
The ACT government knows the importance of remaining vigilant in upholding basic human rights and in eliminating racism and discrimination. We on this side of the chamber share a vision for Canberra becoming a place where all people reach their potential, are able to make a contribution and share the benefits of our wonderful community. We are keen to ensure that the ACT’s human rights legislation, the first in Australia, remains relevant and that the territory is at the forefront of developments in this important area of law. The Law Reform Advisory Council is currently reviewing the Discrimination Act 1991 to ensure that it offers the best possible protection against discrimination in the territory. This will ensure that all Canberrans are shown the dignity and respect to which they are entitled.
It is unfortunate that the federal Liberal government does not share this same vision for the rest of Australia. As the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Tim Soutphommasane, said in a recent speech on the meaning of harmony, public debate on the federal government’s amending of the Racial Discrimination Act is “fundamentally about the harmony of our values as a society”.
Currently, Australian commonwealth law within the Racial Discrimination Act, section 18C, makes it unlawful to commit an act that is reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate a person or group of people because of their race, their colour or their ethnic origin. Often section 18C of the act is referred to whilst ignoring that it is also accompanied by section 18D, which protects free speech in the form of artistic works, scientific debate and fair comment and reporting of matters of public interest.
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