Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

See? The suggestion that nothing has happened since the national antiracism framework was delivered is simply false. In October 2022, this government provided $7.5 million over four years and ongoing funding to the Australian Human Rights Commission to develop the National Anti-Racism Strategy, of which the framework forms a part.

The government is taking a multifaceted approach to tackling racism. We funded the Respect atuni report, examining racism in Australian universities. We funded the Seen and Heard project, supporting communities affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict, and we are delivering on an antiracism campaign that's called There's Nothing Casual About Racism. We are embedding antiracism principles in the national curriculum. And last week, this parliament commenced inquiry into racism, hate and violence being directed at First Nations people. That is looking at the rise of that. I'm a very proud member of this government, who worked on that piece alongside my colleagues in this chamber Minister McCarthy and Senator Stewart. We are also working collectively on this with our Attorney-General, who is a proud woman of Fijian heritage and our multicultural minister in Minister Ali. These are practical steps.

Let's not forget that this parliament returned earlier this year to pass the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026 following the horrific terrorist attack in Bondi. These reforms make it an offence to promote or incite hatred on the basis of race, colour or national or ethnic origin. It strengthens the bans on hate symbols, creating a framework for prohibiting hate organisations and introducing tougher penalties for those who abuse positions and influence to radicalise others.

That is real action, and that is what our government is doing. I will not cop any further senators in this place standing in this chamber and declaring that Australia is a racist country, full stop. Making those sorts of sweeping condemnations might create your headlines, but it does nothing to reduce racism and nothing to improve the lives of people who you claim to speak for. Instead of the outrage, try engaging seriously with the legislation that comes before us and put the work in. We see the confrontations; we see the disruptions, the stunts, the things that are designed to provoke a reaction and the speeches that denounce everyone else while offering very, very little in the way of solutions. It is politics built entirely around the spectacle that you want to cause.