Celia Hammond (Curtin, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Moreton for moving this important motion and thank those members who have contributed to this debate. I rise to speak on this on the International Day of the Elimination of Violence against Women. I also do so less than a week after a 38-week pregnant Muslim woman was brutally attacked while out at a cafe with friends in Parramatta—shocking and horrifying. I reiterate what everybody else who has spoken on this motion has said: there is absolutely no place in Australia for violence, vilification or incitement of hatred on the basis of a person's religion or religious belief. The examples of this occurring, as detailed in the member for Moreton's motion, and in many of the speeches of members who have spoken before me, are reprehensible and abhorrent.

Australia is a nation of great cultural diversity, from the oldest continuous culture of our First Australians to our newest arrivals. Nearly half of all Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was. Similarly, we are a country of diversity in religious beliefs, with 12 million people identifying as Christians and over two million identifying as a religion other than Christianity. We also have a rising number of Australians, 30 per cent, who identify as non-religious. Australia's success and stability as a nation, as with all other nations, is dependent on all of us—regardless of our religious beliefs or lack of them, regardless of our cultural identity, regardless of any of our differences—finding ways of getting along with the other. We need, as a nation, to recognise the importance of social cohesion to our individual and national wellbeing. Without an appropriate degree of social cohesion, we cease to be a strong nation.

Acts inciting hatred against others, acts of violence against others, and extreme vilification of those who are different to us cause wide-ranging harm and damage. The most significant harm and damage is obviously the physical and emotional harm done at the individual level. There is, of course, harm to our society, a greater harm, the creation of fear, of mistrust, of antagonism. There is, for those who like to put a dollar value on everything, also damage done to our economy—lost productivity, increased need for health services, police services, damage done to our international reputation.

The government's role in protecting religious communities at risk of endangerment, and protecting all Australians from incitement of hatred and violence, is primarily done by ensuring that we have the right legislative framework with appropriate deterrence and punishment and that we also invest in and support and encourage, through policy frameworks, initiatives which help to build cohesion across society. There are always dangers in legislative action, and any legislative action must be carefully nuanced. But it must be clear: when it comes to stopping violence and hatred, there must be decisive and clear legal prohibitions.

We also need to realise, however, that legislation in and of itself will not ensure social cohesion. We need concrete actions that promote understanding, tolerance, self-responsibility and resilience, and which are undertaken and driven at grassroots levels in families, in schools, in workplaces, in communities. To this end, I note the $71 million package that was allocated in this year's budget to support locally-led initiatives, which will, amongst other things, build interfaith and intercultural understanding through sport, in classrooms and in cultural institutions.

There are other programs that will encourage a diversity of perspectives in the public debate and promote resilience against harmful and divisive messages, particularly those that promote violence. I also want to note existing local initiatives, such as Courage to Care, which is a community outreach and education program that has been developed and delivered by a team of trained volunteers to teach young Australians of the dangers of prejudice and discrimination.

I conclude by repeating what all those who have spoken on the matter before have said: there is absolutely no place in Australia for violence, for vilification or incitement of hatred on the basis of a person's religion or religious belief. There is a role for government in building the social cohesion of a nation, and government is doing this, but there is also a vital role for each of us individually. We need to accept personal responsibility to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

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