Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

You are indeed correct that today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. As you say, this recognises both the tragic event that occurred in South Africa all those years ago and 75 years since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and focuses on the urgent need to combat racism and racial discrimination. The reason I am aware of that is that I am reading directly from the tweet that Minister Giles, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, has put up today in recognition of this important event. So, to the extent that your question suggests our government does not adequately recognise the importance of this day, I have to reject that.

The minister himself has made public the fact that this is an important day for us to remember the importance of eliminating racial discrimination. He's gone on to make the point that the Albanese Labor government has invested $7.5 million into the Australian Human Rights Commission in order to develop a national antiracism strategy to tackle racism and promote racial equality in Australia, and of course he makes the point—which I would hope that everyone in this chamber shares—that, no matter where you were born, the language you speak or the faith you practise, the Albanese government is committed to a multicultural Australia where everyone belongs.

I don't think there can be any doubt where the minister himself or this government stands on these issues. I think there can be some doubt about the level of commitment across the political spectrum to eliminating racial discrimination, because I, like you, Senator Faruqi, was highly disturbed to see the neo-Nazi demonstration outside the Victorian parliament and the fact that it included a serving Liberal Party member of the Victorian state parliament. I think there are some serious questions for Victorian Liberal Party and, indeed, Mr Dutton as to where his party lines up on these issues. (Time expired)