Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

We have seen a rise in hatred in this country, including antisemitism in the community. This is horrible, and I support this motion. Antisemitism is a form of racism and white supremacy. That's how Nazis saw it and how they justified the Holocaust. They saw the white race as a superior race, and that's how Neo-Nazis see it. I have experienced this personally. In fact, I experience it every day from the Neo-Nazis and continue to experience it. These people see the white race as superior to all other races, whether they are black, brown, Jewish, Muslim or Asian. Of course, we must condemn racism in all its forms. There must be no place for it anywhere in our streets, in our workplaces or in our schools.

I have an amendment to the motion that simply includes the word 'racism' in the motion and wish to move the amendment as circulated in the chamber. Most senators who have spoken have mentioned the issue of racism and antisemitism as a form of racism. My amendment is to reflect this. We know that the Liberal Party struck out 'racism' from that original motion. I don't understand why. Why aren't you calling out the white supremacists and their part in this? This country needs to take all forms of racism more seriously. Believe us; we've been subjected to racism since your boats arrived. For over 200 years we have been dealing with racism, and it's horrible. It's a disease that we can eradicate if we stand together. We've been speaking about this for so long—for decades, centuries, two centuries!

The Liberal Party wants to ignore the racism component. I don't know why. I don't know what your relationship is with white supremacy, but it's totally unprincipled. Antisemitism, for the Liberals, Nationals and others who don't understand, is racism. Why don't you say racism? We must not separate these issues or people who are being discriminated against but recognise white supremacy in all its forms. They are targeting Muslim people, Jewish people, black people and First Peoples. The rise of racism in the last two months has gone through the roof, according to the Human Rights Commissioner.

The antiracism framework in this country is totally unfit for purpose. We need to have a serious look at this. We don't have a human rights bill in this country, so where are people's human rights when it comes to being discriminated against? Where are our human rights? You fellas don't support a human rights bill. Why not? We have a Labor government which continues to oversee the abuse of human rights of people both here and abroad. It's being complicit in multiple genocides. When we normalise racism, violence and war anywhere, we give it permission to rear its ugly head. Yes, it gets used as a political football just like we do in this country when it suits you.

If we don't tackle racism in this country—we see how divided this country is. Sometimes I wonder whether the White Australia policy will come back when you look at the policies and legislation that go through this place. If you want to stamp out antisemitism, you must include racism in all its forms. Why don't you stand up to that and ensure that all of our children going to school and our people going to work don't have to deal with any form of racism? That's what a united country looks like.

I foreshadow that I will be moving that the motion be amended as follows:

That the Senate:

(a) deplores the appalling and unacceptable rise in antisemitism across Australia, including violent attacks on synagogues, schools, homes and childcare centres;

(b) unequivocally condemns antisemitism and racism in all its forms; and

(c) resolves that all parliamentarians will work constructively together to combat the scourge of antisemitism and racism in Australia.