THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
MICHELLE ROWLAND MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CITIZENSHIP AND
MULTICULTURALISM
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS
MEMBER FOR GREENWAY
MEDIA RELEASE
GOVERNMENT MUST RELEASE COMMUNITY SUBMISSIONS ON 18C
Today is final day of the Abbott Government's consultation period for their proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.
In five short weeks thousands of Australians have made their views known - that the current Section 18C is serving our community well.
Labor calls on the Attorney-General to publicly release the submissions he has received on this important issue.
If Senator Brandis continues with his unpopular plan to amend Sections 18C and 18D, he needs come clean about how many organisations and individuals have opposed his changes.
Since Senator Brandis released his exposure draft we have seen numerous Australians publicly condemn the Government's amendments.
Liberal Members of Parliament Craig Laundy, Ken Wyatt and Malcolm Turnbull have expressed their concerns about the Attorney-General's planned changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.
Former NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell and new Premier Mike Baird have spoken out against the proposed changes, with Mr Baird saying: "if it's not broken, don't fix it".
Victorian Multicultural Affairs Minister Matthew Guy has also warned of the harmful effect the changes would have on the Australian community.
The Chair of the Prime Minister's Indigenous Advisory Council Warren Mundine has said he finds the Government's plan offensive. The National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, the Close the Gap Campaign and Reconciliation Australia have also made their opposition to watering down protections against racist hate speech clear.
The Jewish community has strongly opposed the draft changes, with the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the Australia/Israel Jewish Affairs Council and Vic Alhadeff, Chief Executive Officer of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, publicly stating their opposition to Senator Brandis' proposed changes.
The Chinese community, including the Australian Culture and Commerce Association, the Chinese Australian Forum and the Chinese Performing Arts Association, strongly opposed the draft changes to Section 18C.
Representatives of the Indigenous, Greek, Jewish, Chinese, Arab, Armenian and Korean communities have joined together to make clear their vehement opposition to the Government's changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.
Local Councils across NSW and Victoria have passed motions opposing the changes put forward by the Government.
Before the changes were announced last year 155 community organisations wrote to Senator Brandis urging him to abandon his plan to repeal Section 18C.
Our community has sent a clear message to Tony Abbott and George Brandis - abandon your plan to water down protections against racist hate speech. Section 18C has served Australians well for almost 20 years; it should not be changed to give the green light to bigotry.
WEDNESDAY, 30 APRIL 2014
