Photo: SAT/NN.
By SAT News Desk
Melbourne, 7 December: The Andrews Labor Government today gave a powerful message to the Federal Government led by Hon. Malcolm Turnbull by welcoming a joint submission by 61 local community groups that calls for existing federal racial discrimination laws to be protected.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott today met with Victorian representatives from a number of multicultural, faith and Aboriginal community organizations to voice the Labor Government’s support for the Racial Discrimination Act.
Photo: SAT/NN.
A federal inquiry is currently being held into the efficacy of the Act and Section 18C, which deems it unlawful to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” based on a person’s race or ethnicity.
Together with the Premier Hon. Daniel Andrews, representatives of community groups and Government MPs, they demonstrated their unity with a symbolic linking of arms on the steps of the Victorian Parliament House.
The Daniel Andrews Government says it will make a submission soon emphasising the on-going contribution of multicultural and indigenous communities to Victoria, the need to protect individuals and communities from racial vilification.
“All Victorians – regardless of where they come from, the language they speak or the faith they follow – deserve strong legislative protections,” says a media release from the office of the Hon. Robin Scott, Minister of Finance and Multicultural Affairs.
It says, “In May 2014, then Multicultural Affairs Minister Matthew Guy said: “There should be no changes to the Federal, Racial Discrimination Act and we’ll be very, very clear in our submission to say so.
Like the previous state Liberal Government, we fully support the Act as it stands – and will continue to do so.”
