MELBOURNE, 30 August 2025: Victoria’s Multicultural Minister, Ingrid Stitt and the Liberal-Nationals in separate statements slammed the proposed rallies against immigration and particularly singlinning out the Indian Community in the promotional material of the rallies organisers.
The anti-immigration ‘March for Australia’ rallies will take place on the 31 August, 2025 across major Australian cities, sparking widespread concern and condemnation from community leaders, government officials, and multicultural organizations.
Minister Ingrid Stitt, in her statement said, ” We stand with all Victorians – especially those from multicultural communities – who are concerned about the rallies planned across Australia on Sunday and the motivations of the people who organised them.
Our message is clear: Whoever you are, whoever you love, whoever you pray to – you are welcome here in Victoria. You deserve peace, safety and respect. Generations of migrant families have helped build Victoria – contributing to our economy, enriching our culture and strengthening the communities we share.
From small businesses to cultural festivals, places of worship to sporting clubs, our multicultural communities represent the very best of our state’s values. Victorians completely reject racism and hate. Those who preach it will never win. Because our multiculturalism is one of the most precious parts of our state. It’s what makes us Victorian.”
Leader of opposition Brad Battin and Shadow Minister for Multicultural Minister Mulholland, in a joint statement emailed to South Asia Times (SAT), says ” We are seriously concerned by the anti-Indian sentiment in some of the promotional material for the events published by the anonymous organisers. And, ” “We condemn these rallies and the abhorrent messaging associated with them. Victoria is a proudly multicultural and multifaith state, and the Liberals and Nationals will always stand with all Victorians, no matter their background.”
Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Evan Mulholland said: “The targeting of our Indian community is a shameful echo of the anti-immigrant sentiment once aimed at so many other communities.
“Our multicultural and multi faith communities are the heart and soul of Victoria. We stand in solidarity with them and reject any movement that seeks to sow fear and division.
We will always support the right to peaceful protest but there is no place in Victoria for the politics of division and hate. Victoria’s Indian-Australian community are proud Australians and an invaluable part of the Australian story.”
Media reports say the leaderless anti-immigration rallies have been widely condemned by PM Anthony Albanese, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and many others including organisations.
In a statement the Australia Institute says, ” These marches can be seen as part of a pattern of neo-Nazis and fascists becoming more and more emboldened in Australia and overseas, using anti-immigrant sentiment to bring heinous and extremist ideas like the mass deportation of non-white people into the mainstream.
The hateful, white supremacist language, the calls for violence, and talk of mass deportation Australians make it clear the March for Australia has a much more sinister agenda at its heart, and we only need look to the United States to see where this path leads.”
It adds: ” The best way to make Nazis ashamed again is a mass public demonstration that shows a majority of Australians – from all walks of life and all sides of politics – reject the politics of hate and white supremacy, unequivocally.”
