Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

This week the Muslim community in Ballarat, Victoria was subjected to a racist and Islamophobic attack. During an iftar dinner for Ramadan, a man declaring himself to be part of the far right forced his way into a gathering. He hurled abuse and threw punches. Members of the community were forced to restrain him, to protect their families. Children are now too afraid to sleep in their own beds. The police did nothing but issue a move-on notice. This is not an isolated incident; it is the latest in a string of Islamophobic and racist attacks in Victoria and across the country.

It is people in positions of power, people in this chamber, who are to blame for the climate that produces this violence. The Labor government's racist agenda is plain to see. They continue to sit on the national antiracism framework, an actionable plan handed to them a year and a half ago. This week, the Labor government is seeking to ram through legislation to prevent people fleeing violence from seeking safety here—brutal and cynical policy designed with One Nation in mind. By refusing to act while the far right grows louder, Labor is abandoning Muslim Australians, First Nations people and every community bearing the brunt of this racism and hatred. When Pauline Hanson's One Nation are allowed to spew their racist, bigoted hatred towards Muslim Australians with near zero consequences, it creates the conditions where this violence can occur. The far right hears these messages and feels emboldened.

To the Muslim community in Ballarat and across Victoria: you are valued, you are welcome and you deserve to feel safe. The government must respond to the National anti-racism framework, not at some point in the future but now, today.