Leah Blyth (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence Infrastructure) Share this | Hansard source

I think I will start where I will finish on this, and that's that a constructive national conversation about racism should focus on strengthening fairness and opportunity for all Australians and not encourage narratives that pit communities against one another. The coalition believes that there is no place for racism in our society and that people should be treated equally and fairly no matter what their background is. We stand against racism. It is contrary to Australian values and the Australian dream. But we do not agree with the National anti-racism framework's sweeping generalisations, the divisive language and the attacks on Australia as a whole. Australia is one of the most successful blends of cultures in the world, and we should be very proud of the country that we can all call home. We have seen just this week the number of people who want to call Australia home. They are trying to escape their oppressive governments in other countries far away from here, and they look to Australia and want to call it home.

Since the 1950s, to the 1990s, this country has undertaken one of the most ambitious and successful immigration programs in the world. Millions of people from every corner of the globe have come to Australia seeking opportunity, freedom and a better life for their families. They've come here to assimilate. Migrants have built businesses, strengthened communities, enriched our culture and contributed enormously to the prosperity and stability of this nation. From our suburbs to our universities, from our hospitals to our small businesses, Australians of every background are working side by side and building a shared future.

So it is fair to say that Australians are appalled when racism occurs. There is no place for racism in our society, and no-one should ever be discriminated against because of their race. Australians overwhelmingly fight against racism because it runs directly against our country's core values of fairness, respect and equality. From an early age, Australians are taught the importance of giving everyone a fair go regardless of their background, ethnicity or religion. This principle is deeply embedded in the national culture and informs how Australians think about justice, opportunity and community life. When racism occurs, it is widely condemned because it violates the fundamental belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.

Millions of Australians are migrants or the children of migrants, and communities from across the world now form an integral part of the nation's social fabric. In workplaces, in schools and in neighbourhoods, Australians interact daily with people of different cultures and different backgrounds. These everyday connections reinforce the understanding that diversity is normal, it's valuable and it actually strengthens our nation as a whole.

As to the problems with this National anti-racism framework, we have very deep concerns about this report because the framework tries to paint the whole of Australia as racist. We strongly oppose Senator Thorpe's motion because it describes this report as a comprehensive and actionable approach to racism, and in our opinion this could not be further from the truth. This report does not help social cohesion. All it does is foster division. It starts off with the quote:

Racism isn't killing the Australian dream. The Australian dream was founded on racism.

This could not be further from the truth. The Australian dream is a dream shared by people of all backgrounds, religions and cultures. The idea that you can work hard, get ahead, provide for your family, own your own home and enjoy a fair go is one that we all aspire to. To suggest that the Australian dream is founded on racism is an insult to every single Australian. The Australian dream has been built on ideas of opportunity, hard work, democratic governance and the belief that people can build a better life for themselves and their families. To define it through the lens of racism is to ignore the many values and achievements that have shaped modern Australia. The coalition will not be supporting this motion.