CEO message: December
CMY is deeply concerned about the fractured state of social cohesion in Victoria, influenced by both international and domestic factors.
Along with many of our colleagues across the multicultural sector, we’ve been highlighting with Government the need for an extensive review and strengthening of current frameworks, policies and practices for some time now.
The announcement yesterday from Premier Jacinta Allan, Minister for Police Anthony Carbines and Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt, is a direct response to the rise in incidents of hate-crime, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism across Australia and Victoria.
We condemn these attacks, and support putting in place strong measures to combat hate and division in our state. To tackle these problems is a whole-of-community responsibility. We therefore urge the Government to take the time to listen deeply to local multicultural and multifaith communities – including young people – as further work is done to refine the proposed changes.
Included in measures announced were new laws on protests around places of worship, bans on the flags and symbols of terrorist organisations, and bans on face masks at protests (with exemptions for health, religious or cultural reasons) – along with increased police powers at public protests.
I understand the concerns of many of the young people and communities we work with, around increased police powers at protests. Everyone has the right to protest peacefully without fear of discrimination and harassment. Any new police powers must be guided by the Human Rights Charter, to ensure these rights are protected.
We know from our youth justice work that some communities are unfairly targeted by police. Victoria’s first anti-racism strategy outlined the Government’s commitment to take action ‘to address the unequal use of discretion in policing and the disproportionate impacts this has on First Nations Peoples, multicultural and multifaith groups.’
It is our hope that with the focused objectives of Victoria’s anti-racism strategy, and the recent changes to anti-vilification laws, this latest announcement is a starting point to rebuild a cohesive Victoria. It’s an opportunity to change and shape the direction of multiculturalism in our state.
I welcome the appointment of eminent Victorian Mr George Lekakis AO to lead a new targeted advisory group, which will guide this rethink on social cohesion in Victoria. This is a much-needed, important step that I hope will bring together a broad group of representatives from multicultural and multifaith communities and organisations to help the Government tackle such complex and nuanced challenges for our state.
CMY is committed to contributing to the Government’s community consultation phase on their proposed changes, and bringing important insights from multicultural young people, their families and communities to the table.
Read more on the Premier’s announcement here.
Carmel Guerra OAM
CMY CEO