Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

While I am a strong supporter of this discussion brought forward by the member for Chifley, I am extremely sad, disappointed and even somewhat ashamed that it is necessary for us to reaffirm our commitment to a non-discriminatory immigration policy. I am disappointed because I thought that, at least in the parliament of Australia, the White Australia policy was dead. I had thought that this parliament was of the view that it was immoral. However, it would appear I was wrong.

Sadly, I am a member of parliament where some think it is not just tolerable but desirable to deliberately play to certain fears in the community as a political tactic. That is an outrage. Last year the Prime Minister acknowledged those fears, which is the responsible thing for a leader and member of this parliament to do. However, it is one thing to acknowledge that these fears and attempt to ease them; it is another, entirely different, thing to fan these fears and use them for political gain. The fact that such a thing is not just openly canvassed but actively endorsed by senior members of a major political party is truly abhorrent. It is the basest of politics. It is not befitting a member of parliament.

We are privileged to be in this chamber and it is our role not simply to represent those in our electorate but also to show leadership. We must be a unifying force in our communities and for our nation. We come to this place in Canberra to do this task and to lead our country to a brighter and better future—a future in which all Australians regardless of background, origin, race or religion are considered of equal worth as people. It is not our role to take the fears of our communities and then use them to gain political advantage. It is not our role, and it is beneath us as parliamentarians, to take the fears of our communities and then use them to drive a wedge between Australians.

I call upon those in this House to show the leadership appropriate to their positions, to reaffirm their commitment to a multicultural Australia, to reaffirm the fact that diversity is important to this country and to reaffirm a non-discriminatory immigration policy. I call most importantly on the Leader of the Opposition to repudiate the views of some in his party. I call upon the Leader of the Opposition to stop showing even tacit support for the wedge politics of race and immigration. It is beneath this parliament; it is beneath this nation. We are all better than this and I call upon this chamber to support this matter of public importance of the member for Chifley.

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