Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Bendigo residents are standing up in the face of an anti-Islamic protest that has been going on in Bendigo. For the last few weeks black balloons have been tied out the front of council officers and local MPs offices, including my own. They have also been tied out of the front of local businesses that are owned by people from a non-English-speaking background. But the community is fighting back to say that they will not stand for intolerance and racism. Last Friday and Saturday, a sea of brightly coloured balloons filled the mall, replacing the black balloons. About 100 community leaders stood together to say that we are not a racist town and that we support each other. The bright balloons were handed out. They had slogans such as: 'Racism is not welcome in Bendigo. We are proud and we are welcoming.' Locals were encouraged to hang the balloons on their letterboxes, homes and businesses to display that are all one people. It was wonderful to return home and to see in my own street at least five homes hanging these balloons.

The Bendigo that I know is proud of its multicultural history, which goes back to the days of the gold rush. The Bendigo Chinese Association has spoken out. The Bendigo Islamic Association has spoken out. The Bendigo Muslim Association has spoken out. And we speak with them. We are one people. We will not stand for this intolerance. We will stand together. We respect one another and our cultures and how we are enriching our community. (Time expired)