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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 3805 ..

MR WHITECROSS (continuing):

Mr Speaker, too often you hear in this debate diversity confused with division. The view is expressed that, if we are different, then somehow we are divided. It is perfectly possible for us to be a diverse community, for us to each carry our own cultural background, whether that is a Celtic background, an Italian background, a Vietnamese background, a Lebanese background or an Aboriginal background, and yet to be one society and one nation. That is the bridge that we have to cross, Mr Speaker. We have to look to the future from that point of view of our mutual understanding.

I believe that the values of a multicultural community, of non-discrimination and of reconciliation, are important. I believe it is important that we say publicly that racial intolerance is not acceptable; that we want Australia - we want Canberra - to be a tolerant and fair society, not a society in which racial intolerance is considered to be as legitimate a point of view as tolerance. Mr Speaker, tolerance does not mean that we should tolerate intolerance. Tolerance does not mean that racist opinions should be treated as an acceptable alternative to the tolerance which we as a community value. It is important that we say that those racially intolerant views inhibit other people in the community in taking their proper place in the community and are therefore not acceptable.

I particularly want to affirm point three of the Chief Minister's motion which talks about Canberrans having "full access to the Territory's social, political and economic life regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, language, gender or place of birth".

Mrs Carnell: They are the same words agreed to on the hill.

MR WHITECROSS: I know, and I said I agree with them, Mrs Carnell. Mr Speaker, these are indeed important principles which we should be embracing. I think we in this Assembly can be particularly proud of some of the steps, albeit small steps, that we have taken in this place to ensure that full access to the Territory's political life can proceed regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, et cetera, because we have taken some steps to ensure that we do not have a situation in which people are forced, for instance, to swear allegiance to a foreign monarch in order to serve in this place - something with which they have no cultural links - and they are not forced to pray a Christian prayer or a monotheistic prayer in order to participate in this place. They are small steps, but to me they are important steps in making this Assembly a more tolerant and open place, a more inviting place for people from the diverse backgrounds that we have in the ACT. As Mrs Carnell said, 23 per cent were born overseas in more than 125 different nations. We have to build here a society which truly recognises that diversity.

Mr Speaker, one thing which is of concern about these kinds of motions is the threat that they will be seen as all about words and not about actions. Mr Speaker, I think it is important that we in this Assembly, indeed, the Government as well, demonstrate that our commitment to the principles in this motion is real; that there are actions to back up the words. Mrs Carnell referred to some of those actions in her speech, but I would like to see us make clear the kinds of actions that might put flesh on the bones of the principles that are set out in this motion. For that purpose I would like to move the amendment circulated in my name, which reads as follows:

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