Page 411 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 14 February 2017
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multiculturalism in Western democracies, and certainly at a national level we hear talk of winding back racial vilification laws, for example.
I saw a recent study that unfortunately showed there has been an increase in the reported experience of discrimination in 2016, with people of a non-English speaking background reporting the highest experience of discrimination, at around 27 per cent. Just this week we saw racist and bigoted views being supported by members of the federal coalition, with George Christensen attending and speaking at a Q Society event. We need to, in the strongest possible terms, condemn hatred, racism and bigotry whenever it occurs, particularly at the highest levels of our political system. Now more than ever it is important to take a stand in support of cultural diversity, of tolerance, of understanding and of celebration of difference.
Certainly the Greens will always stand up against racial, sexual and religious discrimination and vilification. Instead of these divisive and hateful comments, we choose to celebrate multiculturalism and promote tolerance and harmony in our community. As part of valuing Canberra’s and Australia’s diversity we will ensure we keep strong laws both nationally and locally to prevent discrimination and vilification.
The Greens also want to support our multicultural communities to build relationships with each other and the broader Canberra community. We are pleased to have worked with the Labor Party to secure a commitment to form a new multicultural advisory board and convene a multicultural summit in the ACT as part of the parliamentary agreement for the Ninth Legislative Assembly. I hope that the advisory board will facilitate even better consultative relationships between the government and multicultural communities in providing a forum and simply having people come together, mindful of representing the community more broadly. I think the discussions can only add value to our understanding of the needs and, perhaps at times, the frustrations or concerns of members of the multicultural community.
Our city is the wonderful place that it is in part because of the richness of our cultural fabric and the great contribution of people from all different backgrounds who have made Canberra their home. It is the Greens’ belief that cultural and linguistic diversity in the ACT population greatly enriches our community and should not just be accepted but also celebrated and encouraged. Of course, as the minister has touched on, this weekend we will have a wonderful demonstration of this with the National Multicultural Festival. I am certainly looking forward to it on the weekend. Fingers crossed for the weather. You talk to anybody in Canberra and it is one of their favourite events every year. I hope that we see that spirit really come through in this week’s celebrations.
Returning to the topic of today’s MPI, the Lunar New Year is a time when all Canberrans can recognise our cultural diversity as a strength and a key part of what makes our city such a vibrant place to live. As the Greens spokesperson for multiculturalism, and on behalf of myself and Ms Le Couteur, I would like to wish everyone who celebrated the Lunar New Year a very prosperous and happy new year. May the coming year bring you great joy.
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