Page 831 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 April 2014
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To move now from the impact of the proposed repeal on the wider community, I would like to focus on this motion’s intent regarding the original inhabitants of the land on which we meet today. The discrimination against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country is a grave problem, beginning with the colonisation of the nation and the stolen generations. Despite the referendum on citizenship for Aboriginal people in 1967 and the apology to the stolen generations in 2007, discrimination and hate speech against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still continues today.
Cases such as that of Andrew Bolt in 2011 are perfect examples of the potential impact of the repeal of 18C. The things Andrew Bolt said were outrageous, uninformed and disgraceful. With a position such as his—he has many listeners and a high amount of influence in the public sphere—it is atrocious that he might try to spread false information vilifying a race of people for no reason other than the colour of their skin. This was deemed unacceptable under 18C and should not be, and is not, acceptable. Alas, it appears that under the current federal administration this type of inflammatory rhetoric against the original inhabitants of this land is deemed reasonable discussion.
What other sorts of uninformed racist and derogatory statements may we expect from people in positions of influence if 18C is repealed? 18C was able to draw the line on parties such as One Nation and its leader, Pauline Hanson, in the 1990s as to what was acceptable for them to claim during their short-lived time in the political spotlight. One can only imagine the types of false and inflammatory allegations that might have been made in front of the media and the Australian public had there not been the provision of the full commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act.
I wish to see the progression of this nation continue with fair and reasonable discussion of issues relating to cultural and multicultural matters. A discussion of our differences in a reflective manner can be complementary to our daily lives and the enjoyment of learning opportunities offered by members of other cultures in the society of the ACT.
The motion which Dr Bourke has moved in this place acknowledges this, and I endorse the motion and wish to commend it to the Assembly once again. It shows the commitment which members of this place have towards Canberra being one of the most multicultural cities in this country. I firmly believe that this diversity is one of the foundations of the community in the ACT, and the protections under law for minority groups is a valuable path for maintaining this excellent multicultural atmosphere within my electorate and across Canberra.
The submission of the Assembly to review the federal Racial Discrimination Act will show our perspective on the issue and show our commitment to the federal Racial Discrimination Act as it stands. A society built on fairness, solidarity and not a false inflammatory claim is the best society in which to progress and where betterment can be made.
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