Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There's no place for racism in our community. Melbourne, and my local neighbourhood of Flemington, is a place where we stand together proud of our diverse and multicultural community. A visit to Flemington and Kensington last night by an American Far Right neofascist brought Australian Far Right groups into our community as well. I want to congratulate those who responded with peaceful protest and with a strong message of antiracism and support for multiculturalism. Unfortunately, it seems that provocations by the racist Right led to some violence.

I'm also very concerned about reports about the police response, not only against antiracist protests but particularly against many residents of the Debney's Park community who were not involved in the protest. In particular, reports of police chasing residents and the indiscriminate use of capsicum spray well into the night on the public housing estate are very disturbing. I've written to the chief commissioner to request an investigation and a briefing. To members of the Flemington community who experienced violence and intimidation from racist groups or the police, I want to send a message of solidarity. I will work with people in the community to respond to these attacks and I will stand up for you.

I want to express my solidarity with the members of the Eritrean community in Melbourne. I would like to express my support for the work you have done in raising awareness about Eritrea and the human rights abuses happening there. I understand that so many of Australia's Eritrean community are unable to return to their country of origin for fear of persecution. I'm very happy that you have been able to call Australia home, but I also understand the importance to many people of remaining connected with their countries of origin and families abroad, which is why it was shocking and sad to hear stories of family members of people from Melbourne being captured while trying to flee the oppression of the Isaias regime. I know that, in many cases, people from your community had to pay ransom to the government to release your parents whenever some of your family members evaded the indefinite military service by taking the dangerous journey by foot to Sudan and Ethiopia. I was astounded to learn about how Eritreans have been the victims of so many global and regional calamities, from the refugee crises in Europe and the Mediterranean to the refugee kidnappings and organ harvesting in Egypt and even the slavery in Libya.

On 5 November, the community demonstrated to amplify the voices of those continuously silenced in Eritrea. I want to tell the community and the House that so far you have been successful in doing so. Because of the community's work, more Australians are learning about one of the world's youngest countries and the trials and tribulations of its people all over the world. I'm listening and I'm willing to work with you to create the change that you envision for your community so that all around the world people can enjoy the rights and freedoms that we take for granted here in Australia.

I also stand in parliament today to congratulate the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. ICAN representatives, including a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, will soon be in Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its groundbreaking efforts to achieve a treaty based prohibition of such weapons. ICAN is a global coalition active in 100 countries, but it opened its first office in Carlton in my electorate of Melbourne in 2006. I'm so proud to know that an organisation dedicated to the abolition of nuclear weapons was launched in my electorate. I congratulate all of my constituents and others around the world who've worked so hard and who richly deserve this recognition. The abolition of nuclear weapons is an urgent humanitarian necessity. Generations of people around the world have lived with the threat of catastrophic nuclear war. ICAN has led the way towards the international Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted with the support of 122 nations in July this year. Unfortunately and shamefully, Australia was not one of them. Disgracefully, our Prime Minister has not even congratulated ICAN on its achievement in winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Australia must not stand on the wrong side of history. In congratulating ICAN today in parliament on its achievement in winning the Nobel Peace Prize, I call on the Australian government to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.